


Operation Puppet King

by BatSnake



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Carnival arc, Circus, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Irkens (Invader Zim), M/M, OCs - Freeform, Original Character(s), Prison Escape, Prisoner 777 is trans, Prisoner 777's name is Talay, Rebellion, Recovery, Slow Burn, Space Adventure, Space Pirates, The Resisty Resisting Against the Irken Empire (Invader Zim), This was a perfectly good engineer and now he has anxiety, Trans Male Character, many OCs - Freeform, parenting, some violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-01-16 08:20:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 108,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21267944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BatSnake/pseuds/BatSnake
Summary: Prisoner 777 has escaped Moo-Ping 10! With the aid of the Resisty, he was able to break free of imprisonment and rescue his children from Zim's clutches. However, his efforts were not without one last indignity that sends him reeling.As he works to piece together a new life and recover from his array of traumas, he becomes tangled in the midst of a rebellion he is not ready to be part of.At the same time, he becomes involved in the drama of the survival of the last two Vortian royals and each of their respective caregivers, one of whom works for the Irken Empire with an assignment known as "Operation Puppet King".(Under some renovations in early chapters, but not much is changing)





	1. Prologue

The numbness grew every day. Every hour. Every minute. 

  
The numbness grew with every project that went undone. Every moment Prisoner 777 could have been designing some kind of weapon. Some kind of ship. Some kind of _something__. _Every moment he wasn't overseeing some new Megadoomer, or putting plates on a Spittle Cruiser, making sure the Irken Overseers were stupid enough to not notice very obvious weaknesses in some kind of atomic boot.   
At least it was something, anything. 

There was nothing on Moo-Ping 10. No tasks to complete, nothing to design, nothing to work on.  
He was shoved from one place to another, on a tight, monotonous routine.   
He couldn't even take care of his own children. Not after they'd been torn from his arms.   
Not when his only hope of them staying alive was to bend to the whims of their kidnapper - bowing to his need for information or machinery.

His thoughts drifted to them constantly.

His cellmate G'raggo was about to have enough of leaving 777 to his own devices through the day.  
  
He'd noticed the whole week that he was distant and despondent. He was choking down food. Today he barely ate at all.   
He had to practically carry 777 back to the cell from recreation, when he was too despondent to walk.  
  
His eyes were darker than normal. He stopped talking as much; when he did, it wasn't more than a low crackle.   
  
He had started to notice a nervous twitch in his fingers.   
It started while he was inert at first, then got worse as days wore into weeks, as he grew steadily more agitated, more impatient.   
He didn't even seem capable of sleeping. He had started using the hour ahead to try and even that was a struggle.   
G'raggo wasn't sure he slept at all anymore - it would explain everything else. 

  
Suddenly, 777 let loose an agonized shout.   
"I can't do it!" He choked. "I can't, I can't!" He pressed his hands to his eyes. "I can't take it anymore!" He sobbed. 

  
"Oh shit..." G'raggo hurried to him from the wall he was standing against, intending to give him privacy on the bed.   
  
"I can't do anything, I can barely even keep my children alive, and for what?" He barely responded to G'raggo's hand behind his shoulders.   
  
"I don't know if I'll ever hold them again. I don't know if they'll even survive Zim at all!" Tears started to well in his eyes.  
  
"And if the only thing I'm good for is information..." His reaction to G'raggo pulling him close was delayed - and only then, he just pulled his arms together.   
  
"We'll get you out. If that creep can get out in a day, we'll get you out, okay?" G'raggo hoped it would assure him.   
  
"Zim will kill them if he finds out I've escaped..." 777's hands shook.  
  
"Oh..." G'raggo hadn't considered that angle.   
  
"No matter what, I can't protect them..."  
  
"I thought you were protecting them? Just by giving Zim--"  
  
"You know what I mean!" 777 finally raised his voice to a low shout. "I can't..._protect_ them. Really, really protect them!" He brought his legs up until he was in a small ball. "I can't..." He wept.   
"I can't do anything. I can't even get that door cracked open! I know how they work, I just...can't do anything about it." He looked at the yellow seal keeping them in the cell.   
  
"What good am I to anything anymore...?" He tucked his head under his arms.   
  
"I'm drying up!" The Vortian choked. "In more ways than one!" He pressed his hands against his chest and belly.  
  
He shook violently; his breathing turned heavy and rapid. "I've got nothing..." he started to curl his legs in.  
  
'None of us do' G'raggo wanted to say. But...among all of the prisoners in their circle, 777 was the only one that had tiny children who depended on him.  
He was the only one whose very work shaped the reality they lived in, as the designer of the Massive. 

He started to make an attempt at some consoling words - but noticed some guards in a hurry - and suddenly pelted by a wave of paper wads.   
  
"What is going on out there?" He approached the door to investigate - and was startled by another Vortian pouncing on a downed guard who had been overwhelmed.  
  
He was gray, wearing goggles and a blue body-hugging jumpsuit.  
  
He swung the satchel full of paper wads he was carrying dramatically above his head, before slinging it over his shoulder.   
  
Wielding a door card, he rushed over, pressing it to the seal to open it.   
  
  
"Talay!" He shouted into the door. "Talay, I'm here to rescue you!"  
Prisoner 777 looked up, distress turned to shock, surprised to hear something he had not heard in a long time.  
  
His lost best friend's voice speaking his own name.


	2. Meanwhile

Lard Nar was glad to be back in space. And irritated it took so long.  
After narrowly avoiding getting stuck in The Foodening, he and the Resisty regrouped on Planet Dirt.   
As a former engineer, it was a struggle to get the conglomeration of different skills to cooperate in assembling a brand new ship out of scrapyard ships, creating a horrid monstrosity that combined multiple parts of ships that could function together. 

It was both hideous and beautiful. Assembled out of remaining scraps of Vort ships, a wide variety of Irken ships across generations, countless parts of different computers and engines, solar panels. An old space cruise ship accommodated bedding and food preparation! And in the vacuum of space - everything was in the same state that it had been abandoned at.   
  
The trouble was putting everything together.   
Configuring getting all parts of the ship would have power, mobility, defense. Lard Nar struggled to put logic and reason in a whole design, getting something built, getting it to work.   
Getting Spleenk and Shloonktapooxis to focus was another matter. If anything, it held back time. He needed a better second-in-command...  
When they finally got a ship working without much flaw, and into space, Lard Nar investigated the computers from the portion of the ship that used to be Irken prisoner transport. He found a database full of captives, sorted by species, sorted first by number and their name.   
  
  
Lard Nar's first instinct was to search for his family.   
First, his mothers, Kare-Kare and Dinuguan. They were likely to be prisoners of war, given their rebellious tendencies even before Vort was invaded.  
He found nothing, save for other Vortians sharing their names.   
His brother Lumpia was also nowhere to be found.   
  
This meant they had either escaped somehow, or...Lard Nar quickly searched for another name, refusing to think of the alternative. 

Surely, he would be imprisoned as he had once had...  
  
He gasped, first with relief and then shock.   
  
Talay had appeared, though his name was overshadowed by a number.  
  
Vortian Prisoner 777, relocated to Moo-Ping 10 Prison.   
Most disturbingly, under the medical information, Lard Nar saw that he had given birth on Vort.  
Three females. By the date, they were still young. Very, very young.   
The crew was waiting for a heading - any heading. Lard Nar felt his pulse go into his head, under his horns.   
He knew where to go. 

"Alright, crew!" He shouted, leaping up to his seat - rotating as his original had. They all turned to alertness, hearing him call out.  
  
"Yeah?" Spleenk peeped from the far end of the cabin.  
  
"I've found our first heading! We're liberating Moo-Ping 10 prison!" 

There was a brief row of cheering - until it settled into confusion. 

  
"We'd have as much luck there as we did facing the Massive!" Shouted Ixane.   
  
"Not if the Gelaxis are in charge!" Lard Nar reminded her enthusiastically.   
"And when there's Gelaxis in charge of a prison, we have the advantage!" He pointed at Spleenk. "Where's those papers that were in the cruise ship!?"   
  
"...Why, whadd'ya want with them?" Spleenk just happened to be carrying a box of continuous paper, ready to throw it out the airlock to reduce ballast.

It was the last thing the Gelaxis anticipated.   
The Warden was prepared for wads to appear from within. But he didn't expect to be suddenly bombarded with thousands.   
More than thousands. He'd heard of the new resistance movement, but didn't think they'd come to his prison.   
And yet they did. There was more than the Wad Squad could handle - and they were severely unequipped to deal with the impending riot, when they started breaking prisoners out.

Prisoner 777 was more than shocked at the events transpiring, as the barrier to his cell dissolved, leaving him open to escape. Lard Nar, however, bolted into the cell as he was sitting up, and threw his arms around him.  
  
"I can't believe you're alive!" He squeezed him close.  
  
"If you can call this living." 777 limply squeezed his waist.   
  
"Where are your kids?" Lard Nar asked. "I saw you had some recently!"   
  
Prisoner 777 started to shake. "We need to go. Now. Or Zim might kill them if he finds out--" He grabbed Lard Nar's arm, and G'raggo followed behind.  
  
"Earth! We can't delay! I know the jump codes!" 777 noticed the floor was flooded with paper balls of varying sizes. A few Arachos had cornered the Warden against a wall, bombarding him with paper wads as he squealed helplessly.   
  
"Talay! What's going on?!" Lard Nar stopped him in confusion. "Also, the ship's that way!" He pointed the other direction.  
  
"I was moved here by Invader Zim! He used to work with us on Station 6, remember? He made the blob that killed Miyuki! And now he's holding my children hostage!" 777 explained as quickly as he could.   
  
"Then we need to hurry." Lard Nar agreed.   
He found Spleenk hurling the wads at Guards, using all for arms to propel them, while Shloonktapooxis held a satchel full of them with the claw of his cone.  
  
"We need to hurry! My friend needs to rescue his children from another world!" Lard Nar quickly explained.   
  
"You want us to make it a base of operations?" Ixane asked, standing atop a guard that had been knocked down. She foisted the last wad she was holding into his face.  
  
"Yep! And uh, recruit any prisoners if they want to." Lard Nar looked at G'raggo. "What are you thinking, big guy?" He asked.  
  
"Sure. Beats working at a snack stand that isn't mine. But I'm coming with!" G'raggo stood by Prisoner 777.   
"I've been watching him barely keep it together, and I want to see things go right for him myself."  
  
"Welcome aboard then!" Lard Nar started to lead 777 to the exit. He was shouting into a comlink to anyone else who would join them on the ship if they wanted to come along for the next stop, lest they stay behind and help to get things under control. 

The ship was boarded in a large group, with several prisoners coming in as well. Takeoff was quickly initiated. Coordinates were set according to 777's frantic instruction. Then...

It was suddenly quiet. And dull. Some of the prisoners weren't quite sure what to do with themselves. They grouped together and started quiet conversation.   
Lard Nar slumped in his seat and looked at 777 as he watched the massive window, stars flying by in streaks as they made their heading.  
  
"Come on." Lard Nar sat up and got to the floor. "Let's get you something decent to wear." He held 777's wrist and lead him to his quarters.  
777 noticed corridor looked a lot like a cruise ship's, but didn't question it until they reached what clearly had to be the captain's quarters.  
  
"Did you assemble this ship out of scraps?" 777 asked, looking out the decorated window.   
  
"Well, we lost the original ship. The last Vort ship as far as I'm aware." Lard Nar pulled a new jumpsuit from a chest he was sorting through. It was divided into primary colors, with the front opening in flaps held together by a button, so it would be easier to get into.   
  
"Let's try this." Lard Nar passed it to him. "Bathroom's over there." He pointed to another door.

Prisoner 777 held the jumpsuit, a little shocked. The inside had a soft lining so it wouldn't itch; there wasn't a number emblazoned on the back.   
No zipper, no built-in belt with an ID tag attached to it.   
Regular clothing.   
He snapped back to focus when Lard Nar directed him to the bathroom.  
  
"Ok...I'll...I'll try it out." He stuttered, and hurried there.   
  
Lard Nar waited a moment, in case it was too small and he needed help freeing himself. It did seem to take a while.   
Deciding it had gone too long, he approached the closed door and knocked.   
  
"You okay?" He asked called in.  
There was a moment of silence.  
  
"I'm fine." The answer came slowly. Lard Nar pressed the entry button and peeked in. "Talay?" He asked.  
777 was staring at his reflection and barely acknowledged him.   
  
"Do I really look this terrible?" 777 rubbed a hand on his cheek. "I look like shit..." He swallowed.  
  
"Well, you've been in prison." Lard Nar looked up and down at him. "Fits you fine, though."   
  
"I'm just glad it buttons in the front." 777 sighed. "If my children are even alive when we get to Earth, they'll need it to." He fixed the front in place. It did sag a little in the front. "I'm just...a little thinner than I should be." 777 squeezed his arms around himself.   
"Moo Ping 10's food wasn't exactly..." He trailed off.   
Lard Nar hurried to grab his hands.   
  
"Hey. Hey." He squeezed them. "Let's focus on your kids, okay?" He lead him back to the bridge, where he jumped back into his seat. "We'll get them back from their captivity before you know it!"   
  
777 shivered. "I hope..." He swallowed.   
  
Surging at the ship's fastest speed, it didn't take too long to reach Earth. Lard Nar leaned forward curiously.   
  
"I recognize that planet! We chased the Massive there when we tried to attack it!" He pointed.  
  
"Wait, you what?" 777 gawked.   
  
"Long story! That was where we lost the last Vort ship! Had to launch the Shrinky Self Destruct!" Lard Nar crossed his arms.   
"It's the same coordinates!" He leaned in. "Zim's _there_?"

"I guess that's my own set of explanations." 777 shook in anticipation. "I guess while we head in, I'll explain everything..."  
As Lard Nar commanded invisibility to switch on, he listened to 777's understanding of Zim's installment on Earth - and all else that was at stake. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a chapter I struggled the most trying to figure out, since I'm more excited for other things later on in the story.


	3. Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has seen a lot of edits from how it was originally, with some realizations that 777 should probably be handling this situation far differently than what was first done.
> 
> \---  
8/22  
Another huge round of edits! Mostly to make scenes smoother and sensible.

That did not go well.   
Not even a little bit.   
  
777 could barely struggle against the inclined table he had been strapped to. His wrists, his waist his thighs and the middle of his elongated foot, his horns. All clamped down to keep him from squirming.  
  
He was placed in the middle of the long room, surrounded by tubes filled with bubbling liquid.   
  
He had come so close.  
  
With some of the Resisty keeping Zim's machines distracted above, 777 was able to break into the lab.   
He had found the children in the cell Zim was keeping them in when he didn't have them in the erasure tube.  
He was so close to undoing the wiring that was keeping the cell shut. He was so close to having them in his arms again, to have them safe.  
But that was when Zim caught him. And dragged him into another section of the lab as the children screamed in alarm and desperation.   
Within moments he was thrown against a slab and pinned to it, as Zim ranted and seethed at his escape.  
777 could barely listen, distracted by the screams of his children.   
  
Zim eventually noticed, slowing down in his raving. He slowly scowled at 777.  
  
"So, Prisoner 777? You want your children so badly? Do you? Do you, then!?" He stamped his foot. "How about I give you what you want!?"   
  
"That...would be great, actually." 777 swallowed nervously. Then froze when Zim pulled something off a nearby table.  
A thin drill, with a long, clear tube in the center connecting to a vial in its base.  
  
"What is that?" 777 shuddered. "What are you doing with that?!" He could feel his pulse in his whole body as Zim approached with it.   
  
"Oh, starting a little project I've been wondering about. Now that I have an adult Vortian, I might as well give it a try." Zim switched the machine on. It roared to life as it was lowered to the base of one of his horns. 

Lard Nar and G'raggo were the first to reach the lab after they broke through the house. Rather than leap into the toilet, G'raggo had ripped it out of the floor to expose the tubing directly.   
They found the children. They found metal pulled out and wires exposed. But 777 was nowhere to be found and the children were panicked.   
  
"He took Daddy!" was the most clear thing they could understand from them.  
As Lard Nar worked to unlock the door keeping them in, G'raggo was pounding at the iron seal keeping them separated from the rest of the lab.   
  
They suddenly heard a shriek behind it.   
Lard Nar felt like his stomach jumped into his throat.  
  
"Lizard guy! Smash the glass and get the kids to safety! I'll deal with the door!" He jumped up, and shoved himself in front of G'raggo, pulling out the door switch. There was no time for calculation, not if it sounded like his friend was being tortured.   
  
"I'm not leaving him behind!" G'raggo snarled. "I'm going to squash that pest like the bug that he his!" He pounded a fist into his palm.  
  
"Protect the kids first! They can't see him if he's been ripped apart!" Lard Nar hoped that wasn't the case. He dearly hoped it.   
  
G'raggo huffed and seethed, but he turned to the children.  
  
"Cover your eyes." He told them. "Like this." He demonstrated.  
  
Once he was sure that the Vortlets were imitating him just fine, their little hands over tightly shut eyes, he smashed his fist through the glass, shattering it through the panel.   
The children slowly looked around, and were ready to charge out - before G'raggo plucked them all up.  
  
"Can't walk on the glass." He quickly told them.   
777 had gone quiet through the door, but there was another sound of a machine firing up.   
Lard Nar ripped out the wires with his full hand - and the door split into separate halves and slid into the wall.   
  
He sprinted at Zim, spotting him standing behind a steadily glowing tube. Zim was distracted with ranting at 777 as injected something into a valve with a large tube - so distracted that he didn't notice another Vortian ramming into him with his horns, driving him into the ground face-first.  
He didn't notice until he attempted to roll, as Lard Nar was smashing his feet into him, then seized by the collar of his uniform and driven into a wall, punched in the face and thrown a good distance away.   
Zim barely processed what had come at him, and and as he struggled to his knees in a tizzy, Lard Nar turned his attention to 777.   
  
He rushed to him, where he was strapped down to a table. There was a gaping hole in his left horn, which bled profusely down his face.  
777 was sobbing in pain, barely registering him. Lard Nar touched the right side of his face, desperately hoping for his attention.  
  
"Hey, hey, I'm here." He whispered."I'm getting you out."  
  
As he started to undo the strap on 777's foot, he felt someone grab him by his own horn, yanking him away.   
Zim had gotten back on his feet, and aware of who had arrived, was ready to fight back. Lard Nar cracked the back of his head against Zim, reached behind himself to seize Zim's free wrist, and yanked him around to punch him in the face.   
  
G'raggo entered the fold - notably without the children - grabbing Zim by the neck in his full fist. Zim recognized him immediately.   
  
"You too!?" He squawked before being rammed into the floor. Seeing an opportunity, Lard Nar rushed back to 777 and started undoing the leather straps holding him in place. 777 could barely stand, falling against Lard Nar limply gripping the fabric against his chest, and sobbed weakly. Lard Nar could only tightly embrace him. Assuring him the children were out (though not sure where they were at the moment).

  
The glowing tube behind them started to squeal. Until at last it flashed a blinding white light with a low "boom".  
As it faded, glass tinkered to the floor.   
There was a pause in the chaos. G'raggo looked away from where he was beating Zim in the face.   
  
Zim started to snicker, and chuckle, and finally cackled. "Behold! Behold my sudden creation!" He exploded into laughter. He fizzled out as quickly as he stopped.

"Uhh...now what do I do with it...?"  
  
"No...oh no..." 777 whispered, staring at a little green mass on the ground. "No, no, no..." He stepped away from Lard Nar, hobbling toward it.   
  
"You didn't. You couldn't, this isn't..." He dropped to the floor amid the glass - and enormous puddle of an unknown, viscous purple liquid. Lard Nar followed him as he scooped something off the ground - a something which buckled in his arms and suddenly made a noise - a cough, and then a whimpering cry.   
Lard Nar looked over 777's shoulder - then whipped back to Zim, where G'raggo had him pinned to the floor.   
  
"Let me at 'em. Let me at 'em!" He snarled, stalking toward him and winding up his fist. He punched Zim one more time in the gut as hard as he could.   
  
"Get us out of here, G'raggo. All of us." Lard Nar seethed.   
  
"Where are my babies...?" Talay could squeak through a ragged whisper.  
  
"Ixane has the kids; she's already at the ship by now." G'raggo plucked Lard Nar onto his shoulder, before scooping 777 into his arms, finally noticing just how severely he was bleeding.   
And the wailing thing that had come out of the tube.   
  
"Oh...oh no." He gasped. "Yeah, we gotta go!" He dashed for the lab's exit, leaving Zim a weak pile on the floor to bring out his communications to GIR, to call for help.   
  
GIR, however, was trapped in a massive bubble floating around the ceiling tubes of the house, squealing gleefully as he bounced between the walls, while the Robot Parents were glued to opposite ends of the walls in a thick webbing. Ixane was waiting at the door with all three young Vortians, all of them squirming in her arms, shouting for their father.  
  
777 felt a twist in his gut; he should have been carrying them himself, on his own feet.   
As soon as she saw G'raggo with both Vortians, she ran for the invisible ship, up its stairs and into the bridge.   
Not a moment later, G'raggo was behind her.   
Lard Nar swung off the lizard's shoulders, pointing to the four-armed navigator.  
  
"Get us out of here! I don't care where we go, just get us off this rock!" He commanded, before chasing after G'raggo to lead him to his quarters.

As the ship rocketed past the moon, Lard Nar was helping 777 out of his ruined clothes as quickly as he could, switching him a fresh button-down shirt that fit him like a gown - it had been pulled from the captain's wardrobe and was meant for an individual far taller than either of them. 

The whole time, 777 was as frantic as his weakened state would allow him. He only had chance glimpses at his children in the ship.  
"Just get them in here!" He insisted. "I need to see them!" 

"You need to be cleaned up." Lard Nar pressed a washcloth to his horn while setting him on the bed, where the green creature was lying, wrapped in a spare blanket.  
  
"Do it while they're here!" Talay snapped.  
  
"Uhm...I'm not sure they should see you like this." Lard Nar insisted. "Let's at least get your face--"  
"I've waited too long for this, just get them over here!" 777 grabbed his arm.  
"At least lay down!" Lard Nar pointed at the bed, leading him over by the arm.   
  
777 looked at it, his focus fading for just a moment as he watched the sudden newborn in the middle of the bed. He picked it up uncomfortably and sank into the bed. 

"Bring me a kit." Lard Nar spoke into a comlink.   
"Right away, sir." Ixane responded immediately. 

"The sooner we get you fixed up, the sooner I can get them in." Lard Nar sat at the edge of the bed next to him.   
  
He peered over at the newborn.  
"Bit big." He mused.   
  


Talay nodded slowly. "I could hold the biggest of the three in my hand when they were born." He cupped his hand, looking into it with wistful nostalgia.   
"This one's...more like when they could sit up by themselves. And that happened late..."  
  
Before Lard Nar could ask further, Ixane popped in with a medical kit in one hand, and a small bowl filled with water in the other.  
It had a gold rim, having been pulled from the kitchen.  
An Aracho followed behind her with a second bowl. Both were set onto the table by the bed, and the medical kit opened up at the foot.   
Lard Nar gathered his nerve back together, grabbing the rag in one of the bowls and wringing it out, then started wiping up most of the blood that had dried on 777's face and shoulder.   
  
"I've got it from here." Lard Nar looked at the others with a nod.   
  
"You sure?" G'raggo asked, looking at how pale 777 was.  
  
"Yeah." Lard Nar assured him. "If I need help, I'll call." He laid the rag flat over 777's face, hearing a long, relieved sigh at the feeling of the heat.   
  
"Think you could just leave it there?" 777 gently wrapped his fingers around Lard Nar's hand as he massaged the rag against his cheek. "Feels nice..." He closed his eyes.  
  
"I'll get you a new one after I've cleaned you up." Lard Nar patted his shoulder.  
  
It took a longer than 777 would have liked to clean up the mess. He had to pull down some of the jumpsuit himself to clean his neck and shoulder - even some of his chest.  
  
But even as he was done, the hole was still running a little bit.   
It was with a fresh rag until he could gather up a sealer and wrapping from the kit.   
  
As he treated it, Lard Nar had noticed how far down the drill had gone - right down to the core, through the spongy tissue that gave horns their distinctive flexibility.  
It took everything in him to not wretch at the idea of experiencing it for himself.  
He covered the hole to keep bleeding at bay with folded gauze. Then wrapped it in place.   
  
There was only so much he could do - he could plug it up, but he'd have to find a specialist.  
There was only one place he could think of where it was possible.   
He'd tell the navigator when was out of the room.  
  
But first...  
  
"We're done. Get them in here." Lard Nar spoke into his comlink.  
"The babies?" Ixane asked.  
"Ah--yeah, the babies!" Lard Nar smacked his forehead. "What else would I be talking about?"  
"Right away, sir. They're having a bit of a fit." Ixane had to speak over one of the children, who was crying out incoherently. 

"Oh, sweetie..." 777 covered his mouth as he listened. 

Within moments, Ixane delivered the children into the room, and soon all three were planted on the bed with him, then departed with the equipment she had brought in earlier.   
  
"Daddy!" came a long, long chorus of squeals and coos, as they clambered against him desperately, practically ignoring the little thing laying in 777's arms.  
  
"Hi, babies." 777 could barely speak. "Daddy missed you."   
  
"Daddy hurt." One of them pointed at his horn with a whimper.   
  
"It's okay, sweetie." 777 swallowed. "Daddy's friends will fix it." He stroked the child's cheek with his thumb.   
He looked down, hearing little coughs and crackles. He'd barely been able to even look at the creature Zim had created.  
The children stared for a moment, their enormous eyes almost getting a little bigger. Lard Nar, finally getting a good look at it, covered his mouth in shock.  
  
"Green." The biggest of the three pointed. 

"Yeah." He let the child lay into his shoulder, kissing her on the top of the head.  
  
"How is it even alive?" Lard Nar finally uncovered his mouth. "It doesn't even have proper horn stubs, it's got those...weird antennae." He pointed at the crooked, malformed structures sprouting from its head.  
"I don't know..." 777 croaked, focusing on comforting his children, cooing and whispering gently that everything was alright.  
One nuzzled against his cheek. The two clung tight; the middle child seemed to be on the verge of tears.  
  
"What's it even going to eat?" Lard Nar realized. "Does have an actual stomach? Or a squeedlyspooch?" He wondered.   
  
"I..." 777 bit his lip. He looked down at it, trying to imagine nursing it. Lard Nar watch him restrain a shudder. 

"I'll have to figure it out." He swallowed. "Didn't exactly plan on leaving Zim's lab with a fourth kid." 

"Well, that's what we've got." Lard Nar shrugged. He noticed one of the baby's feet poking from the blanket. "Well, at least he's got legs like us." He pointed. 

"Yeah..." 777 noticed, tucking it back into the blanket. "Yeah, we've got that..." 

"Sorry, I kind of thought I'd be focusing on these three." He pulled in the biggest of his triplets. "Instead we're trying to pick up from this...freak accident." 

"It grew in five minutes! Of all the things I thought Zim would do to me...I never would have thought this in my wildest nightmares." He swallowed.  
"I thought he would have...'erased them from the universe'...like he usually threatened."   
  
He shivered and gathered them up close as much as he could; it could only be done with one arm. He was still holding the hybrid in one arm.   
"I can take him, if you need me to." Lard Nar offered, reaching out.   
  
Talay nodded slowly. "Please..."   
He passed the baby over to Lard Nar. He felt the temptation to warn him to hold his head properly.   
  
Not only did he already have it handled, but he couldn't quite manage to say anything in the first place.   
His arm free, he was finally able to get all of his children as close as he could hold them. Lard Nar could see the moment Talay relaxed, his shoulders falling and a smile finally starting to appear.  
  
"There we go..." Talay sighed. "That's better, isn't it?" He brought the blanket up over them.   
  
Lard Nar watched them huddle close; Talay even sank further down into the bed so it was easier for them to cuddle. 

"I can't believe you're finally a dad, like you wanted." He weakly laughed after a pause.  
"But..._in prison_, Talay?" He grasped his hand. "No one hurt you, did they?" His brow furrowed seriously.  
  
Talay gave him a reassuring squeeze. "No, no, you don't have to worry about that. It happened on a transport ship. It was me and another prisoner. And we got bored."   
  
"I guess that's one way to deal with it. Ever saw them again?" Lard Nar let the baby roll inward towards him.  
  
"They were a medical officer. Protected me from the Irken doctors and delivered them. They knew I wanted to be a parent alone, but...wanted to do the right thing by me as much as they could." Talay's voice was low as he explained, focused more on the children than explaining their origin.  
  
"Yeah, that's understandable." Lard Nar noticed Talay was starting to nod off.  
  
"You...need me to go? Leave the four of you for a bit? I'll find a way to feed this one in the meantime. If that doesn't bother you."  
  
"Fine." Talay's response took a moment. "You...can do that. For now." It was as if he was changing his mind, at rapid fire. 

He moved an arm away from the toddler cuddled on his waist, slowly sat up to put the other two back at Talay's side and slid back to the floor. He found another blanket to lay out over Talay to keep the whole group warm.  
  
"I'll check on you in a few hours." He whispered, turning down the lights until they replicated the Vortian night sky, and departed back to the bridge.

  
Talay finally realized, for the first time in a very long time, he was in a proper bed.

  
A decently sized, comfortable bed. With a warm, thick blanket, with enough space for him and all of the children without reliance on some terrible excuse for a bassinet. He could lie in the middle, and the others could sleep wherever they wanted.  
For now, it was under his arms. One at his right, the other two at the left.   
It was their first time sleeping like this; he didn't even know where they were sleeping in Zim's captivity.   
  


There had been some quiet hope he would be able to feed them as quickly as possible - mostly because of the tension building down his chest and middle.   
But now that they finally had their cuddle, they were asleep. It was best that he did too, he decided.   
Now, so he could think about the hybrid later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Parts of this were inspired by various RPs, but I've had the idea of 777 being the parent of a Vortian-Irken hybrid for a while. This just being one of the ways he was born. 
> 
> One of the more terrible ways sure, but a way.


	4. The Heading

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another chapter I did a lot of updating on, regarding 777's conflict with the hybrid.
> 
> 8/22/20  
So, did some big renovations. I removed the kids being moved out of the bedroom, and will save it for a later chapter. It didn't makes sense because of later chapters revealing them to be in pretty bad shape. Also, I think Lard Nar would have enough sense to not remove them right away.
> 
> And finally, more conflict with the hybrid.

The nap hadn't gone as well as he hoped, and he only felt more anxious upon awakening.   
777 could feel pressure building under his skin the more the children spent sleeping instead of nursing.   
And his horn started to feel a heated burn - he started to fear infection; it was likely Zim had not even considered cleaning the drill before using it.  
The sound of it wracked his memory, nearly overtaking what it was like to feel it. He kept returning to that moment as he dozed, snapping awake periodically - and still finding the children half asleep every time.  
  
Until he was finally awoken by the smell of food.  
Hot, savory food!  
Suddenly realizing just how hungry he was, he opened one eye to find the room's lights slightly raised - enough that he could see, but wasn't immediately blinded.  
Lard Nar was setting down a tray with a plate of a typical breakfast in their region of Vort. The hybrid was wrapped in a blanket around his chest.  
Mini Vort dogs wrapped in a thick pastry crust.  
A fried egg with a purple yolk and pale pink membrane!  
_Coffee!  
**An oblong slice of toasted white bread with butter smeared over it!**_

"Oh, that's the stuff!" 777 mumbled sleepily, feeling his stomach gurgle eagerly. "Come on, sweeties, let's get up and eat." He slowly sat up, having to gently move one of the children off his shoulder.  
They all slowly roused, one of them mumbled about squishing something, grabbing the fold of the nightshirt 777 wore. 

Lard Nar laid the tray over 777's legs. "It's not much...the vort dogs were frozen and the eggs were--"   
  
777 didn't care, already biting into some of the toast. His shoulders relaxed and his expression softened. 

"And uh..." Lard Nar gestured to his own horn. "How's that doing?" 

777 rubbed his where it had been bandaged.   
"It still hurts..." He grumbled. "Haven't been in this much pain since I gave birth and..." He looked anxiously at the hybrid. "Might as well have."

But it _wasn't_ the same...

"We're...not sure what painkillers to give you." Lard Nar looked at the triplets as they observed the plate. "Couldn't find anything that would suit you." 

"Oh, please. They didn't give me anything and then tossed me back in my cell when they were sure I'd stopped bleeding!" 777 picked up one of the mini Vort dogs.

"Didn't even get a decent bed or...any of this." He returned to his early excitement of the breakfast array.   
He finally bit into the pastry-coated meat and paused to indulge it. 

"It's been _years_ since I've had one of these!" He sighed in satisfaction. finished it off. He took the coffee that was brought along.

"It's decaf." Lard Nar nearly apologized. "Same problem with the painkillers." He stopped mid-sentence. 777 had gulped down nearly a third of the cup right away.

"I've spent the last few months in a prison drinking stale water out of square cups and eating square gelatin." He set the delightfully round mug down on the tray.

"I'm not going to be picky about coffee." He flipped the egg onto the toast and bit into that, catching some of the slippery yolk in his hand before it dripped on his leg. He wiped it on the edge of the crust awkwardly.

"You're sure you weren't actually starved?" Lard Nar cringed. 

"Yeah, I think so." 777 sucked off what little remained from his finger.   
"The Gelaxis might have cleaned up the place after the previous owners, but...it was still designed to absolutely break the spirit. I was nearly gone...then you came." He smiled warmly at Lard Nar and sipped some more of his coffee. Clearly, he had been forgiven for the mishap. 

"Anyway, you got a heading?" He asked. 

  
"The Satellite of Huug." Lard Nar responded after a moment.   
777 stopped mid sip. He set the mug down, finger raised to wait for him to swallow. "You're serious?"

  
"Completely." Lard Nar nodded. "I found a doctor there while you were sleeping." He winked.   
"She can treat you and your kids with all of...everything. You're a wreck, your kids are underweight and ravenous, and..." He held his hands out wordlessly at the hybrid. "_This!_" 

  
777 looked down at him. The hybrid had nestled himself in the middle of Lard Nar's chest, sleeping soundly. He shrugged, and enjoyed some more of the toast - even as the rest of his litter started peeping for a taste of it. He happily cut the toast into strips they could manage.  
One of them even wanted to try the coffee.

"You sure?" 777 teased a little bit, before letting her try a tiny sip. Even with swallowing it, her face contorted in disgust; her little fingers curled and shook in revolt.

"Eecch!" She staggered backwards. 

"Yeah, didn't think so." 777 plucked her up when she reached out, letting her have the last bite of toast. 

"Besides that, we need to resupply. We found a vault full of monies that are still good, so at least we can afford to do that." Lard Nar cleared his throat.

"It'll be a while before we get there." He pulled up another seat across from him. "You might as well get some actual sleep instead of a nap, now that you've had something to eat."  
The hybrid was starting to rouse, wiggling and chirping groggily.

  
"Well...I guess I'll have to take him back if he's going to be hungry soon." Talay sighed. 

  
"You don't sound to thrilled about it." Lard Nar raised a brow, but started to undo the blanket wrap. 

  
"Well, since you probably don't have formula sitting around, it's the only option. If he's even interested in eating." 777 started to reach for the hybrid, freezing intermittently.   
He kept thinking back to the lab. And the drill. The green on the baby was identical to Zim's.  
The baby turned its head slightly; he could see a sliver of red in its eyes. More like Zim's than his own. 

He drew back his hands with a short gasp. 

"You know, he hasn't even made that much noise." Lard Nar didn't notice his slowness to pick it up. "He's mostly kinda...wiggled around."  
777 felt himself be yanked back into focus.  
  
"Is it weird if they take a while to eat?" He heard Lard Nar clearer, realizing that his early words had been as he had been listening from underwater.  
  
777 rubbed one of the triplets on the head as she cuddled under his arm. "She took a bit to figure things out." He recalled.  
"He's not going to wither away if it takes him this long." He finished off his coffee and started wiping the children's faces with the little paper napkin that was on the tray.   
  
"Do you...still want to take the baby?" Lard Nar asked, standing up from the side of the bed.   
  
"I'll have to." 777 sighed, slowly taking it. He hadn't noticed how little weight it had when he brought it out of the lab. The older children were heavier at that size, even with their scant upbringing in the Vort military prison. 

  
The triplets were already trying to cuddle in with him again, then with their newfound awareness of what was happening after their brief nap, started awing at the baby, until the amount of noise from their babbles startled him into suddenly crying out.

Ever lacking in awareness, one of them shouted. "He's hungry!"

777 rubbed the back of her head. "He's tired, you were so excited, you woke him up." 

Lard Nar watched him work a moment to settle the baby down, while the triplets quieted down a little to watch.

"See, I used to do this with you." 777 told them as he rocked in slow, steady dips, until the baby settled. "The Irkens didn't like it when you cried." He shivered at the memory of it, and clutched the baby close instinctively.   
He felt the hybrid's tiny claws drag over his skin as it whimpered frantically.   
"Come on, you'll feel so much better if you ate." He groaned, fixing his hold in hopes that it would latch. No such luck, as it tried to push away. 

"I'll have to go soon." Lard Nar cleared his throat awkwardly. "A captain's work is never done." He started to back up.

"But, I'll be back. This is my bed, after all." Lard Nar cleared his throat. 

"Fine. I'll probably be asleep again when you do." 777 groaned with frustration.  
Maybe the hybrid just needed more time. And if time didn't satisfy...  
He reclined back and pulled the blankets up so the triplets could crawl under.  
  
"Goodnight then, Talay." Lard Nar carefully stepped away, watching the whole family huddle together.  
He felt a little twinge of longing when he crossed the door and returned to his crew. 

"All clear to the Satellite!" Shloonktapooxis zipped to him as he climbed into his seat.  
  
"Good. Good." Lard Nar nodded approvingly. "And uh, let's add some supplies for the children to the list. Now that we have four of them."

"Um. You going to sleep soon?" Shloonktapooxis asked. "Only cuz. You've been crazy busy all day and you beat up all those guards. And that Irken guy. I think you've been awake for...like, forty-eight hours even before that?"   
Lard Nar slowly felt the weight of that whole period sink in, every moment of it.

"Forty-eight hours, then?" He slumped.

"Yep! Probably more!" Shloonktapooxis's tongue stuck out of his mouth limply, perhaps in exaggeration of Lard Nar's exhaustion.  
  
"Then I bid you all goodnight!" Lard Nar leaped out of his seat. "Shloonktapooxis, DON'T fire at asteroids." He climbed up the stairs to the dormitory corridor, but stopped at the top before the doorway.

"Repeat what I said!" He pointed.

"DON'T fire at asteroids!" Shloonktapooxis obliged enthusiastically. 

"Very good." Lard Nar whipped back, and came back into the bedroom. He thought he might have woken up 777, but he was fast asleep.  
He found his "new" sleeping garments (granted to him by one of the residents of the junkyard asteroid), switched into them as quickly as he could, and quietly joined them in bed.   
  
He felt better as soon as his head hit the pillow, and was nearly asleep when he felt one of the little ones roll into his chest and snuggle in.  
He heard a little squeaking yawn.  
  
"Hi," was followed by a coo as whichever child it was fell asleep again (he couldn't tell in the dark).  
This was...going to be an interesting new experience. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still trying to get the voices and personalities right for 777 and Lard Nar, but I'm getting there.
> 
> It does feel like there's a lot more nursing going on than what some people would be comfortable, but there's just...a bunch of babies. It's going to happen. 
> 
> And so many cuddles.
> 
> I absolutely missed a window for an "I am making...TOAST" joke, but it's fine without it. Just 777 getting excited about having toast to eat is enough.


	5. Doctor Mung

777 woke to the sound of the hybrid whimpering softly. Next he noticed heat radiating from the pit in his horn. It stretched down to the tip and across his forehead into a splitting headache.

And he had to go to the bathroom.

  
He sat up stiffly, bringing up the hybrid with him. Two of the children were at one side between him and Lard Nar, the other at the edge of the bed. She was the one 777 had to be careful climbing out of bed for. 

"Heeey, sweetie." 777 cooed at her. "Daddy needs up for a moment, okay?" He stroked her head.  
“Daddysquish.” She squeaked awake.  
He rubbed her back. “I’ll be right back.” 

777 sat up slowly, hands pressed gently against the green newborn, and slid off the bed, creeping off to the bathroom.  
Where the first thing he saw was his reflection in the mirror.  
He saw that he was frail, his eyes and cheeks sunken from prison's terrible excuse for nutrition - especially Moo-Ping 10's.

He was pale and gaunt, almost ghostly. The wrapping on his horn was an insult to injury.

And something about that hybrid in his arms...just wasn't clicking.

He remembered the love and terror that surged through him when the triplets were born. There was an indifference to the hybrid, as if it were a stranger's child.

But it was his blood just as much as the others...wasn't it? He considered the nothingness and felt a clenching twist of shame in his gut.  
  
He had to get his business over with.  
  
When he returned, he found all three children sitting up, waiting anxiously for his return. He settled himself as they started peeping for his attention.  
Their noise, quiet as they were, only made the hybrid stir and whine a little louder.  
  
It was bad enough that his horn was hurting. At the very least, he could do something about the pressure of milk under his skin. It wasn’t much, but in the emotional turmoil of rescuing them, and the presence of a newborn of some sort, there had been a resurgence.  
  
“Come on….” He crossed the newborn over his chest. “You’ll have to make room for the baby.”

  
Only one moved in to nurse - the smallest. She pushed up under his arm next to the hybrid’s feet, brushing up against them. The hybrid suddenly screeched out, startling her before she could have a chance to attach herself.  
She shrank back in shock.  
  
“What’s going on?” Lard Nar groggily sat up.

“Just the new guy.” 777 grumbled, patting his smallest child on the back while she fell on his belly to complain. “Hold on, just a bit longer.” He gently moved her aside among her sisters. 

777 staggered out of bed, pacing in circles with the hybrid pressed to his shoulder, rubbing his back.   
  
“Okay, you settle down.” He mumbled. If there was an opposite of letting down, he was experiencing it. “You’d feel better if you ate.” He tapped a finger on the hybrid’s mouth in hopes that he’d open up. He turned his whole body away from 777 instead of further inward, like any of the triplets would have.  
  
“He still isn’t eating.” 777 grumbled to Lard Nar.  
He heard Lard Nar groan with exasperation in the darkness. “So what do we do?” He asked.

“I’d get some sugar water, if you even have sugar on this ship.” 777 huffed. “It might get him to perk up a little.”

  
He heard the shuffle of sheets as Lard Nar left the bed. “What little we have was in packets that went into your coffee. I think we’ve got fructose syrup. I’ll be back with some of that.”  
  
777 caught a bit of light from the door as Lard Nar exited and returned to the bed.

"Come on, kid, let me have this..." He groaned as he struggled to comfort the hybrid - and the smallest child, who had shrunken back in shock at how severely he'd been alarmed. "Please let me have this, it's been too long." 

He tried to wrap the hybrid inside his clothes while he waited for Lard Nar’s return; the hybrid only wiggled and squirmed uncomfortably. The children maintained a distance 777 never imagined having in their reunion.  
He didn’t imagine any of this in their reunion.  
777 felt a new rush of burning hatred for Zim. He might not have known what he was going to do with the hybrid, but he knew the anguish he wanted to cause.  
  
And succeeded.  
  
The light came on just slightly as Lard Nar returned. He carried a container of clear syrup with him.

“What do you want with this, then?” He asked.  
“Just a little bit of that rubbed on his gums.” 777 grumbled. “If he’s not latching and we don’t have milk replacers available...” He took the container and poured a little bit of its contents onto the tip of his finger.  
  
“You don’t have to take care of him, you know.” Lard Nar watched him attempt to get his finger onto the baby’s gums - only for the struggle to continue.

“And who here will? You’re the captain and every other person on this ship has been hurt by the Irkens somehow. Or by Zim. I’m the only one who _ can _.” 

“You’ve also got enough going on.” Lard Nar crossed his arms.

“You’ve got three bigger ones that need you more and you need to be resting after everything you’ve been through. Don’t need to be pouring energy onto a baby that doesn’t want your attention.” Lard Nar started reaching to take the hybrid. “Just for a little bit.”  
  
777 sighed and passed him over. “Alright.” He slipped himself back into the bed, opening his arms for the triplets to cuddle in with him. He could feel Lard Nar leave as soon as he was down. Probably to return the syrup and turn out the light.  
He didn’t know; he fell asleep before he could get an answer.

  
Then was disrupted. Lard Nar had gently shaken his shoulder until he snapped awake.

"What? WHAT?!" 777 smacked his hand away, feeling as if he had just fallen asleep and been disrupted. Lard Nar yanked it back, stunned by the sudden aggression. 777 swallowed, noticing his shock, and covered his eyes. "Sorry...sorry, I'm..." He shuddered. 

  
"I know you're tired. You barely slept. But I woke you up because we've arrived at the Satellite. And the doctor's here." Lard Nar helped him sit up, lifting one of the triplets in to his arms from where she had been sleeping across his stomach. 

"What, you couldn't wait until I was at least awake?" 777 rubbed his eyes. "I'm exhausted. He pulled the blanket up to cover his chest.

"You...realize she won't care, right?" Lard Nar raised a brow at his modesty.

"I'm cold." 777 crossed his arms to hold the blanket in place. He grumbled to himself as a long bolt of pain abruptly shot through his horn.

"The sooner she can stop me from getting sepsis the better. Just...let her know I'm ready." He took the toddler back from Lard Nar and cradled her into his shoulder.   
  
Lard Nar looked to the door and waved. "He's up, Doctor Mung." He called, while also minding his tone.   
Heeding him, another Vortian stepped into the room. She was bluish-gray, with horns that fell forward over her face rather than backward. She seemed a good deal older than 777 and Lard Nar, but she wore half-moon glasses that made her look significantly older than that. 

"Talay, then?" She asked. "Lard Nar's told me a lot about your situation." She carried a large black medical bag, which she carefully placed on the floor while Lard Nar got a chair for her. 

She seated herself and opened up her bag.

"He said you had and delivered your first pregnancy in an Irken-run prison, relocated to another before full weaning could take place. And after you escaped, had your horn drilled into by your children's captor. Is that right?" 

  
777's mouth twitched at the review. "Yeah, that about summarizes the worst part of my captivity." He rocked the child he was holding.

"Thanks for reminding me of my nightmares for the rest of my life."

"Well, I'll have to check them as well once I'm done with you." Doctor Mung produced a little bit of her equipment from her bag while she was talking.  
She checked his blood pressure and temperature while she reviewed. She pricked his finger for a blood test.

"Are there any details Lard Nar didn't know about?" She asked.   
777 looked away from his friend uncomfortably.   
  
"Well I got infections in Moo-Ping 10 at least twice." He grasped his chest with a shudder at the memory of it. "Once immediately after I went in. The second time was a few weeks after that." 

"And how was the delivery?" Doctor Mung picked up one of the triplets, who had crawled over to her in wondrous curiosity. 

"I was attended by Irkens, how do you think it went?" 777 scowled. "Didn't even have access to nitrogenous oxide for the pain and that's the most basic relief I can think of."   
He watched Doctor Mung pick up the one child that was watching her work.

"That's Holly." He nodded, allowing her to pick her up. "She's always been the biggest." 

  
Holly was already trying to grab Doctor Mung's glasses off her face, oohing and aahing at them.

"What is?" She grasped excitedly at everything Mung did to check her vitals; she giggled when Mung pinched and flexed her legs. 

"Her bones are a little softer than they should be." Mung lifted her from the bed and carried her to a wall, setting her down and stepping back a little bit.  
Holly chased after her, squawking "No!" at the sudden placement on the ground. Mung scooped her back up and put her in 777's arm.   
  
"But at the very least, she can run well enough." She made quick notes in a small brown journal before going through the same routine with the other two with some silence, save for being told their names. 

"Goji's the smallest. Acai is middle." 777 explained while watching her. 

"Goji does have the most trouble in her bones." Mung mused, set her back on the bed as she bawled - having not been able to catch up to her during the walking test and falling over in the middle of it.   
Mung wrote down a quick note on a sheet of paper she'd torn out, which she gave to Lard Nar.  
  
"If you'll come with me to my clinic, I'll send you back with some supplemental powder to help them all catch up. Talay, you'll need it mixed with water, since you're miraculously still feeding them."

"Well, we've been _trying_." Talay grumbled under his breath, glancing at the hybrid. "Could've by now, but he didn't like them getting close."

"It's not the only thing on the list, but it's the most pressing." Mung watched 777 part a blanket enough for Goji to nestle into him.

"You'll probably need the vitamin reinforcement yourself, Talay." She scratched her chin thoughtfully.

"Anyway, let's get to the main problem. Let's undo that bandaging." She went to the other side of his bed to examine the hole in his horn.   
  
"Well! You've managed to keep this under wraps well enough!" She nodded at Lard Nar's direction."  
"I hope it was kept under wraps, I would have bled out by now without them!" 777 grumbled cynically.   
"At the very least, the hole is smooth, so that will make it easier to repair." Mung shined a small light at it. "I'll give you an injection that should numb the pain without causing problems for the little ones. We'll let the tissue damage heal before I can fill it in." Mung searched her bag a moment and pulled out small vial and needle.   
Unwrapped it.   
Took the cap off.   
Drew the fluid.   
"Lard Nar, would you come hold his hand? It does hurt at first when it goes in." She wiped around the edge of the horn as Lard Nar complied. 

777 gripped his hand tight and felt a sting. And then a very, very slow numbing. He couldn't feel the spray of liquid bandage when she was done, nor the replacement of fresh gauze around his horn. 

"And good news, no sepsis. You are anemic, but that's to be expected." Mung reported, checking the small computer that had run the blood test. "Otherwise, you're clear." She looked into the blanketing that the hybrid was wrapped in.   
  
"Now, uh...this..." She cleared her throat awkwardly. "This I...might as well treat like a newborn Vortian." She picked him up carefully.

"Good luck with that, I've been trying." 777 rubbed his eyes. "But he's difficult. He was gestated in about five minutes, I think? Doesn't really know how to...life." 777 shrugged.  
"He hasn't eaten at all and I've tried everything at my disposal." 777 rubbed his eyes with exhaustion.

"And while I'm trying to take care of the ones I expected to leave Zim's lab with." He pinched between his eyes. "I'm not even sure if he'll take a bottle, but we don't exactly have one lying around."   
  
With his checks quickly completed, Mung laid the hybrid back in the blanket. "You're allowed to give him one if he can't figure you out." She raised a brow.

"I understand you're used to your ways and your resources were limited in prison, but you don't have to do the same for him as you do with the others."

777 rolled his eyes. "I'd love to, but what he needs is a stomach tube until he figures out how his mouth works. Then we'll see how he does either way."  
  
Lard Nar raised a hand. "We do have sterile pipettes! For...machinery..." He slowly suggested.

"That could work. It's far less drastic than putting a tube through his belly." Mung nodded approvingly

777 rubbed Goji's head when she crawled up back on his chest to sleep on his shoulder. 

"I need more help." He swallowed. "I just...can't handle him right now." He rubbed his eyes. "I just wanted my girls back." He choked.

"You know, I spent months separated from them, light years apart, worried to my core that Zim had accidentally killed them! And then he does _this_ to me!" He pointed at the hybrid. "I mean, I don't regret getting him out of that lab, but...I just want to be with the ones I arrived for. I've...barely..." He stopped, clutching Goji close, hugging her like he had hoped he would do when he imagined rescuing her and her sisters.   
"I've barely gotten to be with them like I wanted." He rubbed the back of her head with his thumb.

Mung watched Lard Nar squeeze his shoulder gently. "Then it's a good thing you have an entire ship at your disposal who can help you." She patted his leg. 

"Lard Nar, would you and some of your friends be willing to give the, uh...newborn pipettes or bottles until he's settled?" She asked.   
He nodded understandingly. "If it helps Talay." He slid his arm around 777's back.

"You don't have to..." 777 rested his head on his shoulder. "You've got a whole crew to think about..."

"No. You need the reunion you wanted. I'll do the heavy lifting with the green kid until you're feeling better." Lard Nar insisted.

"You're the leader of the resistance, you can't take care of a baby!" 777 retorted. 

"I've got time while we're settled on the Satellite! It's not like I'm raiding prisons with paper wads every day! Usually I'm already trying to parent my own crew, I think I can handle a baby." Lard Nar reached across to pick up the hybrid.

"Also, what are we naming him!?" He realized.   
  
"That would be a good thing to note." Mung agreed.

Talay grumbled a little and sighed.

  
"Well, when I found out I was pregnant, we thought there were four. And then Holly just ended up being really big. So I didn't get a Donyx. It's the only thing I've got."

Lard Nar cocked his head. "Like our head scientist at Research Station Nine?" 

Donyx sneezed, then whimpered immediately after, stunned by his involuntary burst of motion. 

"Why don't you take him with you to the clinic?" Mung suggested. "I can give him some electrolytes there to perk him up, and Talay can get his time with the older ones for a little bit." She looked at 777 for approval. 

"If it helps him..." 777 was already pulling his little trio together for the cuddle he'd spent months craving. 

"I'll be back in a little bit, then." Lard Nar undid a little bit of his jumpsuit enough to slide Donyx against his skin, and wrapped him in place with a fresh blanket. 

777 waved him over. "Here, you need to have his head like this." He fixed the position and retied the blanket. "Now you can go."

"I'll check back in a few days from now." Mung repacked her back.  
She departed, with Lard Nar behind her, dimming the lights before going out the door.   
  


  
The room was quiet.

  
Finally quiet. 

  
777 breathed out, feeling relief. He was alright. His daughters weren't on the brink of permanent deformations from Zim's neglect.   
There was a possible solution to Donyx's colic. 

Even if it was just for a few minutes, he would just have the three of them. Holly was already nestling against his neck. Goji dozed where she had been left earlier. Acai, at his opposite side, laid away from him, but clung to his arm. 

"Daddy missed you..." 777 rubbed each one on the head. "Daddy missed you so much." He rubbed his eyes. He was met with a silent, but tender response from all of them; pressing closer, squeezing harder. 

  
With a breath of relief, he closed his eyes to go to sleep again, sure to catch up on what he'd missed out on.

  
The numbing agent had fully set in; he could finally focus on his triplets. Just as he started to drift, he felt Goji finally nestle in the fuzz of his chest.  
777 rubbed the top of her head with his fingers, breathing out with relief.   
He felt a familiar shot of adrenaline up his neck as she settled in to nurse, at last without interruption from Donyx.  
  
He closed his eyes, finally able to relax as pressure literally started to come off.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I re-wrote this chapter multiple times, all around 777 struggling to sleep and cope with Donyx's colic, but it was just kinda boring and I wanted to get around to Doctor Mung sooner than later (her and other characters down the line).


	6. The Nobleman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last the character I've been waiting to introduce.
> 
> 8/22  
Changed the intro with Laksa a little bit, since his personality in my mind has vastly developed since I first wrote this chapter.

The Satellite of Huug hovered around an icy moon under an enormous dome, looking like a floating snow globe in space.  
  
The dome itself held two massive towering blocks - one like a makeshift apartment buildings made from ships standing together on platforms (where the Resisty's new ship was stowed in a formerly empty space). The other was a tall market, with some specific ships docked around thousands of stalls on ramps.  
One such ship was Mung's clinic, formed out of a massive military medical ship, now re-purposed for general care as a miniature hospital. A few of the Resisty crew had scattered through the Market Tower in search of supplies, while Lard Nar accompanied Doctor Mung to the clinic. 

As Doctor Mung lead him in, Lard Nar noticed another Vortian departing the clinic rooms into waiting area with a slight limp in his step - not one he expected to see either.

  
He was just a head taller than him - and had antlers.  
_Antlers!_ They weren't as impressive as expected of an antlered Vortian, but they were most certainly antlers!  
They were tipped with two round nubs. And a smaller round nub on each one somewhere down the middle.  
His eyes were pinkish-red; darker than Talay's. His tone was light gray in color and was clearly middle aged, from the lining under his eyes.  
He was wearing an a brown coat, but Lard Nar could have sworn he noticed the dark pink of Irken regalia underneath. 

  
What was a Vortian noble doing here? Besides needing some kind of medical attention.   
As he was lead around, Lard Nar struggled to get a good look at him while he was lead around to storage. Something seemed familiar...

Doctor Mung showed him to a seat, where he was on the opposite wall of the nobleman.  
  
  
The nobleman noticed his staring, as he rubbed the bandage that covered a good section of his jaw and cheek.   
  
"Admiring a relic, sir?" He crossed his arms and leaned forward, his hand under his chin with a smirk. "It's good to see another Vortian alive."  
  
Lard Nar blinked and looked away awkwardly - especially once Donyx was starting to wake up with a crackling cry.   
He bobbed him carefully, not noticing his hand reaching up past his shoulder.  
  
"Your baby's hand is green." The nobleman's expression changed to confusion as he pointed.   
"He's not mine. He's a friend's." Lard Nar quickly explained. "Sort of. I won't divulge the details!" He wrapped his arms around Donyx protectively.  
  
  
Mung returned. "Everything's ready. Come back so I can get something into him."  
She looked over her shoulder at the nobleman.   
"Laksa." Her expression soured.  
He flexed each of his fingers in limp greeting. "Doctor Smilax saw me. I'm leaving now." He waved his hand dismissively.   
  
_Laksa? _He couldn't be Captain Laksa, he was too young! No...Captain Laksa had a son, he remembered.   
It had to be him. 

  
How had he of all people survived the Conquest of Vort?

  
He looked down, feeling Donyx claw at his skin, his cries getting weaker than they had been. 

  
"Hm. We need to get something in him." Mung rubbed her chin. "Let me take him for a moment and I'll see what I can do." She helped Lard Nar undo the blanket wrapped around his body. "Might have to test that pipette idea of yours." She put a finger on his mouth.  
She sat down, holding him upright in her lap while she prepared the solution from a bottle containing a clear fluid.  
  
"Some electrolytes and sugar water should perk him up a little bit. Then we'll see if he'll eat." She pulled some of it into a pipette and dripped some of it into the baby's mouth, which was promptly licked up bit by bit.  
"He'll need that quite regularly. So it's a good thing you have enough hands in your ship that can lend a hand."

"If they'd even be willing to help something that's half Irken." Lard Nar grumbled.  
"Most of the crew doesn't want anything to do with them! Except maybe crushing them like the bugs they are." He rubbed his head.

"I don't even know why Talay hasn't shoved him on someone else completely. Better than leaving him with Zim, but..." Lard Nar took him back when she was done.  
  
"If you'll wait for me, just a moment, I'm going to get you some things." She trotted out the door, leaving Lard Nar alone in the clinic room with Donyx.  
He gently pinched his hand, wondering how quickly he'd respond. It took a little longer than he thought, but Donyx drew his hand away with a little peep.  
  
"That was a bit slow, huh, kid?" He had expected an immediate response. He took a moment to really, really look him. At his horn stumps. At the antennae that sprouted from them, like crinkling vines.   
  
"Aren't you just a little wreck..." Lard Nar patted his back pitiably. "No wonder you're having a hard time."  
  
"Let's give him a few minutes before we try feeding him." Mung wrapped him up in his blanket again.  
"We can't risk too much experimenting around what what he can handle, so blood tests might be necessary." She passed him back to Lard Nar.   
He focused more on keeping him balanced to his shoulder, while Mung went over the logistics of preparing for such a strange hybrid while running hot water to mix a bottle.

"Since he's half-Irken, I'd imagine he'd prefer to eat a little sweeter. With how poorly off Talay is, he's unlikely to get that from him for some time." She shook powder into the water, once the cap was closed.  
"He might like the taste of this better." She scooped Donyx back and gave it to him.   
  
It took a few tries for him to get a hold; even once he did figure it out, it was a struggle to stay on.   
  
"Well! I'll say he likes this, but I would keep with pipettes until he knows what he's doing." Mung's shoulders slumped with relief. "Do you want to take him while I get some things together?"  
  
"Um..." Lard Nar didn't have time to answer before Donyx was gently dropped back into his arms. He had to grapple with the bottle to keep a good grip on it. No idea what he was doing. At the very least, Donyx turned his head in an effort to push away. Falling asleep.  
  
"Huh..." He pulled away.

Mung returned, carrying a small bag. She opened it for him to see inside it.  
  
"Vitamin supplement, more bottles, formula, and a pump if Talay needs it."   
Lard Nar took the bag over his shoulder, and stopped to wonder. "Where are you getting all this?" He gawked, uncomfortably hiding away the boxed pump.  
"What kind of suppliers are you getting all the way out here?!"   
  
"Sneaky ones." Mung winked. "Now, you get those back to Talay. Don't worry about payment; we have a system." She walked him to the entry.  
  
"I'll check in every day through the week to check on the family. Are you able to stay here until then?" Mung asked.  
Lard Nar almost was aghast. There were things to do, they couldn't stay a week! Until he remembered the urgent fixes that needed to be done on the ship. Maybe he could get Talay to help with the lights during that time if he got up and about. 

"Of course..." He nodded.  
  
Trotting up down the ramp away from the clinic and into the markets, he drew a communicator from his belt.   
  
"Attention! I'm done at the clinic. Wrap up what you're doing and meet me in the market center." He looked around, in hopes of finding somewhere to sit down while he waited for his entourage. Surprisingly, an empty bench!   
  
He anxiously took the edge, realizing the crowd of vendors and customers and inhabitants from across the universe. All displaced by Irkens in some way or another. If there were already three Vortians in the clinic, there had to be more...he stared out, hoping to spot more in the hubbub.   
There were certainly more representing the various species within the Resisty. None that were interacting with any of his, anyway.   
They could interact after a supply run and a rest for all. 

He felt Donyx's hand paw at his face - and realized with alarm that he might be mistaken for a smeet.  
Though, technically he could be.   
In a way.   
  
He tucked the baby's hand down; Donyx was looking around, more alert. Quieter than he had before. Lard Nar was almost sure his Irken mind was starting to kick into gear - while inhibited by Vortlet helplessness.   
At the very least, he wasn't needing a PAK. For now, at least.   
  
"Hi, Captain!" He heard Spleenk yell. "Ixane and I found all kinds of things for the ship!"   
  
Lard Nar watched Spleenk plop himself on the bench and rummage through the bags he was carrying in each arm.  
  
"We got snacks, we got clothes for the Vortian kids, we got some toys and books..."   
  
Lard Nar was shocked. And impressed.  
  
"Looks like you actually got a good idea for once." He reached in...and pulled out a dress that was much too big for any of the three. Of course...  
  
"It'll...be a while before they can grow into this." He set it back. The books were too big and out of their age range too.  
With how cloistered their lives had been, it was unlikely that Talay had been able to read to them at all.  
  
Ixane cleared her throat as a few more of the Resisty arrived. She opened up her bag to reveal age-appropriate attire and reading for the young Vortians.   
  
"That's better." Lard Nar nodded. "Well! We can go over our treasures when we get back to the ship! The ship that we...still need to name." Lard Nar clenched his teeth awkwardly in realization, sliding off of the bench to lead the group back to the ship station.  
  
"The Jumbo!" Spleenk shouted with glee.  
  
"Ye--no." Lard Nar stopped himself. The Resisty was terrible enough.   
  
"The Titanic." Ixane suggested gracefully.   
  
"...tempting." Lard Nar scratched his chin with interest. "Keep tossing 'em out." 

Lard Nar realized he could have been writing the ideas down as they traveled back to the docking station - but then he wouldn't have been able to keep both hands on Donyx. Navigating through what would look like a grandiose parking garage masquerading as an apartment hall, they returned to their still-unnamed ship, where the rest of the crew was at work, keeping maintenance and conversing with each other. 

Talay wasn't out on the main deck. He was probably still resting with the triplets. It hadn't been that long, so it made sense he'd still be in place.  
He'd need his own room eventually, Lard Nar realized. With at least four children up and down through resting periods.  
Talay was probably used to taking care of them on his own; he hadn't even asked for help during the last 'night'.   
Best to check for sure...

He had some things to deliver to him, anyway.   
After a quick round of checks with the crew, and ensuring they were all settled, he hurried to his cabin.  
Upon entering, he found Talay half awake, one arm hooked around Holly, while Goji nestled under his neck. Acai's feet were peeking from under the lightweight shirt he was wearing now instead of the oversized gown.  
  
"Hello, I'm back." Lard Nar crept in. "Everyone settled alright?" 

Talay jumped slightly with a short yelp. "Hey, how 'bout you knock? I know it's your room, but..." He gestured both hands to where Acai was tucked up. 

"Ahhhh yeah, I see that." Lard Nar cleared his throat. "I'll...remember that." 

  
"Thanks." Talay crossed his legs.  
"Well, I'm not in pain anymore. I can focus. Got at least a little decent rest." He rubbed Acai's back; her hands poked through the collar of his shirt, fingers flexing, before relaxing against his neck.  
  
"How'd it go at the clinic?" He asked.   
  
"Mung gave him a bottle. I think he's feeling a little better." Lard Nar laid Donyx down at the foot of the bed. Talay craned up as much as he could without disturbing his litter.  
  
"It almost looks like the little gears in his head are running now." He observed.   
Laid flat on his back, Donyx kicked up his legs against his belly, with a rasping gargle as a newborn Vortian should.   
  
It sounded right. But underneath the Irken features...something _felt_ off.   
  
"Maybe it would be better for him?" Lard Nar wondered, rubbing his chin. "Mung thinks he might have specific taste preferences on his Irken side."  
  
"It would save me some chaffing." Talay rolled his eyes. "We'll see how he feels later." 

"You want him back with the rest of them?" Lard Nar pointed.   
  
Talay looked awkwardly at the other three. "Do you think there's space?" He asked. Lard Nar raised a brow.  
  
"Well, someone out there has had four kids and found space. I'm sure you can." He glanced around at the empty space. And put Donyx up with Holly. 

"Baby!" She gleefully perked. "Green baby!" She patted his cheeks. 

"Careful, Holly." Talay gently rubbed her head, as Lard Nar started taking things from the bags.

"Some of the crew found some clothes for them." He showed Talay the little outfits that had been collected. "There's some lovies and books too." 

"Oh!" Talay managed to sit up all the way, carefully moving Goji up and clutching Acai so to shift her body and not disturb her.   
  
"What have they got here?" He pulled a few picture books forward. "Look at this, sweeties." He opened up one. "Now we can have bedtime stories and you can learn to read."  
Goji perched on her knees to look, gawking at the pages. "Woaaah." She cooed. Holly draped over Talay's lap to get a look. 

"Yeah, look at that Prince!" Talay pointed at a drawing of a Vortian prince, with many-branched antlers adorned with pink flowers on vines.

"Speaking of antlers..." Lard Nar remembered. "I saw a nobleman at the clinic!" 

"What?" Talay gasped. "A royal or...?" He started.

"Laksa." Lard Nar clarified. "I saw Laksa." 

Talay cocked his head. "I thought he was ancient. Or dead. Did Invader Larb kill him during his conquest? I wouldn't know." 

"The second Laksa!" Lard Nar frowned. "He was in the clinic with a limp." 

"The one that was friends with the princes and scared of --" Talay prepared to speak, but stopped as Acai wiggled her way out from under his shirt. She laid herself in his lap with a yawn, ignoring everything that had been laid out on the bed. 

"Good squish?" Talay patted her back as she curled up.

"Yeh." She sighed deeply. 

"Squish now?" Goji whipped around and pulled the collar of Talay's shirt. 

"Let's get Acai on a pillow first, then squish." He rubbed her head, resulting in a pout.

Lard Nar squinted, utterly confused. "'_Squish?_'" He gawked as Acai was moved onto a pillow at Talay's side.   
  
"Oh!" Talay awkwardly chuckled.  
"Well..." He let Goji under his shirt, where she crawled up enough that Lard Nar could see the top of her head poking out from the collar.

"You have gone...incredibly soft." Lard Nar grimaced, recalling what it looked like when Talay had his torso uncovered. 

"They didn't get a chance last night during Donyx's colic fits." He looked anxiously at the green baby; his fingers curled nervously; he cringed like he was looking at a toxic insect.   
  
"Think you or someone else on the crew can keep going with him?" He meekly asked.   
Lard Nar cocked his head. "I would have thought you'd be more settled?"  
  
"Well, I'm not. And I don't think he is either. He seems to be doing better with you, anyway." Talay looked away from Donyx.

That wasn't concerning at all, Lard Nar realized, but he still took Donyx back.   
  
"Do you still need to rest?" He asked.   
  
Talay nodded slowly, his lips pursed, eyes covered with one hand. "Obviously."

  
"Then...I guess I'll see how he does." Lard Nar cleared his throat awkwardly, putting Donyx back against his chest where he'd been wrapped and clearing the triplet's first treasures from the bed. 

  
Talay didn't say anything. He stroked circles around Goji's horn stub, but he wasn't focused on anything in particular, even as Holly cuddled into his lap to fall asleep.   
  
Lard Nar paused at the door...wondering.   
"Hiya, Captain! What's uh...what's happening over there?" Shloonkapooxis floated hurriedly to him. 

"I'm concerned about Talay..." Lard Nar mused, rubbing his chin. 

"Uh...I HOPE you're worried, because if you're not worried about someone who you say is an old friend..." Shloonkapooxis started to rattle off.

"I'm worried about something that shouldn't be a worry!" He held out Donyx to get a good look at him. His little legs wiggled under the shift of his own weight as he was held away.

"Ew, that's the thing that came out of the lab?" Shloonkapooxis arched with a grimace. 

"I thought Talay was doing fine trying to take care of him, but now...I don't know." He looked at the little thing, up and down, noticing the smallest Zim-like traits. The tone of the green. The pinkish-red of his eyes. The way he was starting to throw his arms out in preparation for a fit.   
  
Lard Nar brought Donyx back to the safety of his shoulder to settle him, and waved for Shloonkapooxis to follow him back to the bridge. 

"Well, we have enough hands to pass him around on." He decided. 

"Who's going to want to help take care of a weird Irken?" Shloonkapooxis scowled. 

"Anyone with the sense to realize he's a baby that hasn't done anything wrong." Lard Nar bobbed him when he started to crackle into a cry, suddenly unsure of what to do. "Um..."   
Ixane rushed from her post at the bridge computer to pick him up. "Who's feeding him?" She asked. 

"Anyone who can mix a bottle, I suppose!" Lard Nar set down the bag he had been hauling around. 

"I was under the impression your friend was?" Ixane stooped to dig into the bag. 

"It didn't work out that way for them." Lard Nar shrugged. "He might have some...different needs."  
As quickly as she had taken him, Ixane had shoved Donyx into Spleenk's grasp as he trotted over to watch the situation for himself. 

"All hands then." Ixane started her way to the kitchen with the bottle and formula tin she'd pulled out. 

"Um, but what if he needs an Irken?" Spleenk asked. 

"Like we're going to find a rogue Irken anywhere around here! Even less one that would know how to - or be willing to - help with a...a '_smeetlet_'."  
Spleenk made a face at the term.

"Oh, you're one to talk, Mr. _Resisty!_" Lard Nar took the filled bottle from Ixane when she came back with it. 

"Do you even know how to give him that?" Ixane asked while he settled into his seat. 

"Can't be that hard." Lard Nar immediately held Donyx at a crooked angle while trying to offer the bottle.   
Ixane sighed. "Sir, would you let me handle this?" She rubbed her head under her hood. "He'll aspirate if you hold him like that." 

Lard Nar indignantly examined what he was doing, then passed both to her.  
"Very well, Ixane." He sighed. "I relent to your...oddly specific expertise. From your orphanarium days?"   
Ixane sat on the floor with Donyx in her lap and nodded. 

Lard Nar leaned forward, prepared to see if Ixane would struggle to get him to eat just as much as Talay had through the whole previous sleeping period.   
To his surprise, she had no such misfortune. As soon as she'd popped the bottle in his mouth, he accepted it. 

"Huh!" Lard Nar leaned back and crossed his legs. "Well now what do we do now that we're here for a week" He wondered. 

"Let's have a riot!" Spleenk giddily suggested. 

"We're not going to start a riot!" Lard Nar refused...but it was so _gloriously_ tempting.

"We find mechanics that can help us tune the ship." Ixane spoke up. "Perhaps we'd even be able to recruit some for our cause."

"We've got the space. There's so many empty rooms." Lard Nar crossed his arms and thought for a moment. Talay would need his own eventually.

"...Well, I'm off to the kitchen. Who wants to come with me?" He hopped out of his seat. 

"Baby's going to need to sleep somewhere." Ixane followed him. "Should I take him back to Talay?" She asked.  
  
Lard Nar thought on it a moment. He thought about how Talay had abruptly refused him. 

"We'll keep him with us. Talay's got his hands full as it is." He handed Ixane the wrap he had been carrying before.

"Mine won't!" Spleenk joked, extending all four of his arms as he joined the two of them.

"Good, because we need them to make some lunch." Lard Nar followed suit.

But as he passed through the doors into the small kitchen, he remembered something about that nobleman. 

He had been a loyal servant to the Irkens in the past. 

So what was he doing, potentially in uniform, on a refuge satellite like this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized 777 probably should have been reacting far more negatively around Donyx's creation, considering the amount of physical trauma it took for it to happen. It just seemed more like it would have made a more interesting storyarc. 
> 
> So instead of scrapping everything and making it happen right away, instead he literally has to sleep on it for a little while to realize "yeah, this is kind of a big nope"  
His attitude with Donyx at the moment is "Yeah, that's a baby", since the circumstances involved are resulting in him not really registering him as "his" baby.


	7. Upset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a very long time since I've done an update, mostly because I've struggled with what to do with this chapter and how to lead things in together. A lot of it is just...trying to get things updated with feelings and motivations.
> 
> Hence why I've been doing cleanups in previous chapters. I've been going through some things since the last update, but they're getting a little better now.

Lard Nar stepped back into what used to be his bedroom, hoping to find Talay rested enough to eat a little bit of something.

Instead, he had bundled himself under the blankets, practically wrapped in a thick cocoon. If not for an occasional wiggle under the fabric, Lard Nar would have thought that the children wandered off again. 

Talay lifted his head a little, hearing him enter. "Heya, Nar." He mumbled.

"Hello, Talay. You hungry?" Lard Nar showed him the sandwiches that had been made.

Talay glanced over to look at him and nodded. "Yeah, sure." He undid one half of the blanket that was tucked under him, and slowly got upright. 

Lard Nar sat at the end of the bed, sliding a plate of sandwiches to him. "Is your horn doing any better?" He asked.

Talay nodded. "Yeah...but I saw how I looked in the bathroom mirror again. It's... been a long time since I've seen myself in a decent mirror. Let alone decent light." He sighed heavily. "I don't...look like myself." He flexed his fingers despondently.

"Well..." Lard Nar bit his lip. "That will fix itself in time." That sounded unhelpful. 

Lard Nar cleared his throat. "So...how long do you think you're going to be here?" He asked. 

Talay's eyes widened a little. "Probably another sleep cycle." He shrugged and took a bite out of a sandwich. 

"We're...having some trouble with some lights." Lard Nar's tone was inviting. "Sure, that's student work, but they're a little more complex in this hodgepodge ship." 

"I noticed it was flickering a little more than it should." Talay took the off-white drink Lard Nar had brought along. He choked a little on the first sip. "Is this the vitamin powder?" He asked. 

"Is it really _ that _ bitter?" Lard Nar raised a brow.

"What, you want to try it yourself?" Talay gagged, shoving the cup at him. 

"...No." Lard Nar grimaced, pushing it back. "Besides, you're the one that needs it."

Talay took another reluctant sip. "So...lights? Are you really having trouble with stuff we learned in the first year at the university?" He teased.

"We weren't putting together multiple different kinds of ships together!" Lard Nar crossed his arms in a huff. "We've attached Irken warships to an outdated Queukard cruise liner! The lighting systems are going to be different and not work together well!"

Talay looked up at the ceiling. "I'd have to see inside." He muttered.

"Already did. All the systems are outdated in the cruise ship section." Lard Nar pointed.

"And do you have the means to get them up?" Talay choked down more water.

"No. But I was hoping to find some more electricians here that might be able to help." Lard Nar looked out the small port window from the bedroom. It barely overlooked the docking tower and out into the Satellite's expanse. 

"Electricians that are also willing to be rebels with you?" Talay asked. "This is a place to hide, not to organize. Though, that's probably not a bad idea..." He mused. 

"Hiding?" Lard Nar gasped. "But...after everything the Irkens have done to you? After what _ that one _ in particular did to you?" 

Talay scowled. "Especially after what Zim did! Especially after what he did to _ me _!" He noticed Lard Nar didn't have Donyx with him. "Someone else has him?" He asked.

It took Lard Nar a moment to realize what he was talking about. "Ixane's got him." He said quietly. 

Talay took a deep breath. "Alright." He rubbed his horn.   
"There was a time when I was glad to cooperate with whatever Zim asked of me. Because I thought if anything I gave him backfired on him, it would backfire on the Empire. And when he realized I had been trying to undermine him the whole time..." 

Lard Nar grasped his hand, realizing he didn't need to hear the rest.

Talay covered his eyes with the other hand with another attempt to speak.

"You don't need to tell me everything now." Lard Nar awkwardly assured him. 

Acai crawled out from the blanket to sprawl over Talay's lap. He gathered her up and held her against his shoulder. 

"It's enough that I don't want anything to do with them right now. I want my children to be where it's safe, even just for a little while." He rubbed her head. "I want them to have a life outside of imprisonment of any kind."

Lard Nar sputtered, baffled. "You're not the only one here who's lost a life! The Irkens have hurt everyone on this ship, not just you!"

"And I've only just gotten out of their clutches! I've only just gotten my family back! And I'm sure anyone else in your rebellion would want time with their family if they had the opportunity." He pinched between his eyes. “I never missed my mother more in prison than when I had newborns.” He choked.  
  
"Except maybe now..."

Lard Nar felt a wave of shame wash over him. He couldn't even find his own mothers, nor his brother.

"It's not that I won't ever join your fight." Talay reached for his shoulder. "But my children need me more for now." 

Looking closely, Lard Nar noticed that Acai was shivering a little bit. So much so that Talay was bringing up the blanket around her.

"Come on, sweetie..." 

He rocked quietly for a moment, rubbing his fingers on the back of her head until she was calm.

"Well...don't forget your sandwiches." Lard Nar pushed the plate to him. "I've got work to do."

Talay nodded, picking up one of the halves and biting into it. When Lard Nar left the room, he was offering some of it to Acai.  
He cleared his throat. “Let me know if you need anything.”  
  
Talay responded with a slow, single nod.  
From far away, Lard Nar noticed how hollow and tired his old friend looked. He forced the will to move away from the door, wanting everything to stay and keep him company. 

As he headed down the hall connecting to the bridge, he saw Gr'aggo leaning against the wall, waiting.

"Is he doing alright?" G'raggo asked.

"He's tired." Lard Nar waved a hand dismissively. "He just needs more time to rest."

Gr'aggo tailed after him, catching up quickly. "Look, I've been his cellmate off and on for months, I've him dissolve into a mess. I just want to be sure everything's alright now. I haven't even seen him since we got his kids!"  
“_And he needs his space _ .” Lard Nar hissed. “He’ll tell you the same thing if you tried to go in!”  
G’raggo backed up, raising his hands slightly in surrender. “Okay, okay, sheesh.”  
  
Those of the Resisty crew cast uncomfortable glances at one another.  
“Uh, sir?” Spleenk nervously asked. “You okay?”  
“Fine! Never better!” Lard Nar plunked himself in his seat. The lights above his head started to flicker erratically; it was starting to give him a headache.  
“_I just fixed that_!” He shrieked, clutching his horns and kicking up his legs with frustration.  
“Sir, we just got the ‘smeetlet’ to sleep.” Ixane warned.  
Lard Nar took a deep breath through his teeth and slumped. “Sorry.”  
“Are you just mad at the lights?” Shloonktapooxis asked, hovering anxiously closer. “‘Cuz it sounds like you’re mad at your friend for some reason.”  
“I’m...I’m not mad at him.” Lard Nar dropped a hand on the armrest. 

“You suuuure?” Shloonktapooxis pressed.

“Well, I’m certainly not upset that Talay’s doesn’t want to join us yet.” Lard Nar crossed his arms.  
  


“Yeah, that sounds like something to be mad at him about.” Shloonktapooxis hovered at a tilt, raising a brow.  
  


“Please, he looks like a ghost of his former self and is dumping what little energy he has left into the children he intended to come back from that uncharted planet with. I’m disappointed that he doesn’t want retribution for what’s been done to him. But I’m not mad.”  
  
“Eeeh…” Shloonktapooxis and Spleenk moved back a little; Spleenk scratched his head.  
  


“I’m not! And I don’t want to hear another word about it!” Lard Nar stooped Schlooktapooxis from interjecting.  
  


“A’ight, whatever you say, sir.” Shloonktapooxis swept away from his seat, Spleenk following behind. Both shook their heads at each other. 

“Sir, might I suggest you get some fresh air?” Ixane spoke up. “If the lights need to be repaired again, we might have to see if there’s a market stall that sells what we need.”  
  


“I can’t leave Talay. He might need help.” Lard Nar groaned. 

“I’ve said I can help!” G’raggo rolled his eyes.

“He...may need more of a mum-type.” Lard Nar suddenly remembered.  
“Oh and you are?” G’raggo crossed his arms.  
“No, I mean...he said something about missing his in the Vort prison.” Lard Nar sighed, leaning his chin on his hand. “And I’ve known him since we were in the academy. It’s not exactly the same, but I remember when he decided he was ready for a family.”  
  
  
Lard Nar looked out at the bridge, where his crew was working - and arguing about a set of wiring. From where Lard Nar was sitting, he could immediately tell what was wrong, no if, and, or buts. All of which the Aracho crewmen were debating.  
“I have responsibilities out here, but he needs help too." He cupped his hands to his mouth. "HEY! It's wires red-black-blue-blue-green to ports green-black-black-red-blue!" He shouted at them.  
The Arachos whipped their heads to look at him, then back to each other. They started hooking the wires inside the console as he instructed. The buttons on the console brightened up immediately.   
  
"Of course, Talay wouldn't have wasted time arguing." Lard Nar rolled his eyes.  
  
“So...maybe when we’re out recruiting, we can find a mom?” Spleenk suggested when there was a pause.  
Lard Nar raised a finger, ready to reject the idea, and stopped. “Well, if Doctor Mung and her assistant are here, and that nobleman is here...there probably are more Vortians. I’d just have to find them.” He rubbed his chin.  
  
“I could pop out to look for some decent connectors for the light wiring…” He nodded and got off the chair. “Ixane, Spleenk, would you come with me?” He waved for them.  
“And G’raggo, since you want to help Talay so bad…” He took a comlink from a hilt on his belt and tossed it to him. “Let me know if anything happens.”

G’raggo flashed a toothy grin. “Will do.” He winked, while Ixane helped Lard Nar into a wrap to carry Donyx in.  
  
“Check in on him in a few minutes. See if he’s done eating.” Lard Nar sighed. “I’m sorry I snapped earlier.”  
  
“Yep.” G’raggo nodded. He looked behind him at the ex-prisoners that he surrounded himself with - the tall, blue mantisoid, the round manfish with an underbite, Octillius Primilius, Hand-De-Hoo-Doo and Fisti-Fis’t’tu. “Yep, I’ll check on him.” 

“We’ll be back later. With something or someone.” Lard Nar bobbed the baby when he woke up from dozing after being slipped into the wrap. 

“Shloonktapooxis, you’re in charge.” Lard Nar pointed finger guns at the cone.  
“Wooooo, I’m the boss!” He hooted. “Hey! Geltch! Stand on your head!” He yelled at the spike-jawed insectoid creature on the inside of a console.  
  
“Don’t abuse your power.” Lard Nar sighed as he departed with Ixane and Spleenk. 

G’raggo turned on his heel to his former prisonmates. “Okay boys, let’s see what we can do for our ol’ dad.” He waved for them to follow him.  
  
"Let's figure out a little pick-me-up." 


	8. Mum-Type

Living on the run was becoming too hard. It was especially hard alone.

At her age. With a child that still hadn't come to grips with what had happened in the past few years.

He was getting more independent; more curious about what was happening down alleys, billowing with smoke and steam, fragrant with the smells of food, vibrating with the cacophony of chatter and machinery, the roar of flame, clatters of metal. 

Lady Udon couldn't risk losing track of Tomkha. He was too important. And they had come so far. 

Now she kept the boy on a harness attached to her hip to keep him from charging off too excitedly watch a vendor set a huge rack of meat aflame or pester a merchant with questions about every minuscule item he had - even if it was pure junk being sold at inflated prices. 

Tomkha still kept trying to pull and ask questions - now directed at her. He was starting to draw attention - not good while Udon was trying to make preparations to get off the Satellite. It was taking months to replenish supplies. Too long. They were starting to draw attention.

As Udon worked to lead Tomkha down the market to the docking station after their errands, she spotted something that she never thought she would on the Satellite. 

There was another Vortian, much younger than her, also heading for the market, splitting from a Glogon and something she couldn't quite identify.  
No doubt he was a captain of some kind.  
There was a baby wrapped against his chest.   
Tomkha noticed it too and went charging with excitement. "A baby!" He exclaimed. Before Udon could get her footing to reign him in, she was pulled along as he dashed to see.   
He nearly collided with the Vortian as he came down the path, stopping before he could smack into him.

"Woah, kid!" Lard Nar backed up, throwing his arms around Donyx protectively. "Careful where you're going!" 

"You have a baby!" The child bounced eagerly. 

"Uh...yep, I do." He looked up at the elderly Vortian he was literally tied at the hip to. "Uhh..." He awkwardly pointed at him.

"Tomkha, don't be rude." She caught her breath.  
  
"I'm sorry, we don't often see other Vortians anymore." She held the child by the shoulders. "We...especially don't see many babies."

"Well, I've got three toddlers on my ship. A friend's, not mine. This one is his too, sort of. There's a lot of...problems."   
The woman craned her head for a look.

"He's green." She whispered.

"Yep." Lard Nar nodded.

"Why is he..." The old woman stopped. "Probably a long story." 

"Yep!" Lard Nar tucked Donyx's hand back in.   
  
"I wanna see the babies!" Tomkha tugged on Udon's sleeve. 

"Now now, Tomkha, we don't want to be poking where we don't belong." She crouched to his level. "Mister's probably got some errands to run."   
Tomkha whined, pushing back the hat he was hearing to scratch at his horn stump.  
  
  
No. Not horn.  
  
_Antler._

Surely they were with the nobleman from the clinic.  
  
"You know, I was seeing Doctor Mung at the clinic earlier. She's a Vortian too. And there was a nobleman. Are you his family?" He asked.  
Surely they could be his mother and son? Udon most certainly had the same blue-gray hue, but the child was more more of a yellowish cream, like the royal family once was.

"What nobleman?" Udon suddenly became anxious.

"I think I heard his name was Laksa? I think the Captain's son?"

Udon clapped a hand to her mouth. "He's here?" She gasped. 

"Oh, you're not with him. You know him?" Lard Nar asked.

"That's...a story on its own." Udon sighed. "But if he's here, we can't be alone. He's already got Princess Voon."  
Lard Nar paused.   
  
"Wait...Princess Voon? And...Tomkha..." He looked at the boy. "The prince?" He mouthed.  
Udon nodded. 

"Then you...you're Lady Udon. _And you're alone?!_"" He thought the way her horns curled looked familiar...but when he only knew her from photos and broadcasts...   
She nodded again. 

  
Lard Nar took a long breath. "I...have a big ship. And a crew. I'm the leader of a new Resistance movement." He extended a hand to her. "Captain Lard Nar."   
She took it loosely, with a look of concern. "You are aware that the Tallest pay Laksa to quell rebellion efforts?" She asked. 

"I'd like to see him try stopping us, we tried to attack the Massive. And survived!" Lard Nar smugly dusted his claws on the the blanket. 

"You'd be tricky at any rate." Udon looked around, seeing the crowd divert around them. 

"I'm sure you could tell me on the way to the Market? Since we're heading the same way. Then...I'd like to see your ship." Udon grasped Lard Nar's arm arm for security.

"Udon! Udon! You said to not follow strangers!" Tomkha pulled her sleeve. 

"I think he's going to be very safe." She assured him, rubbing his head and then taking his hand as they continued to the path leading to the Market Tower. 

  
LATER

  
"And so, that's what happened." Lard Nar helped Udon load the fruits she had selected - and gave one to Tomkha.   
"He's spent every moment since hiding in my bedroom, trying to sleep. I want to be able to make sure he's alright, but I have other priorities. Doctor Mung will be coming around every day to make sure they're all doing alright, but I'm not sure it will be enough." He hooked one of her grocery bags over his shoulder.

"I know Doctor Mung. Babies aren't exactly her forte, but she might be forced to look after anyone in need with the way things are." Udon carried another bag.

"I'm surprised she even saw Laksa if he was in her clinic, after..." She stopped. She waved her hand.

"Oh, another time. This friend of yours is more important. And...getting Tomkha away from trouble." She patted his head while he chewed on the stick-shaped fruit he'd been given as they moved along upwards on the Market Tower. 

"What exactly is Laksa doing? I thought he was a naval captain's son? Last I remember, he was advising Almight Tallest Miyuki on Vortian Affairs. Obviously he isn't anymore." 

  
"I'm not entirely sure. Other than that he has Princess Voon. I believe he might try to get a hold of Tomkha too." She pulled Tomkha close by the shoulder.

"Why would he want Tomkha?" Lard Nar asked. "Is there a bounty on the two of them?"

"Not that I'm aware of . But if you don't want Irken military being called on you, I'd suggest we get out before Laksa catches on there's a whole resistance group here. You'd be sitting ducks." She warned.

Lard Nar laughed. "We tried to fight the Massive and barely survived! One of the worst decisions I've ever made, but at least I made an impression."   
  
"Then let's hope Laksa takes note of it if he finds out." Udon nodded. "So what do you need from up at the top?" She changed the subject.   
  
"Couplings. I've got some lights that aren't working. I'd have Talay help me fix them, but he's out for the count." Lard Nar ground his teeth with annoyance. 

"I don't blame him after everything he's been through." Udon sighed.   
"While we're up, I'm going to get a few more things than I intended. I might have an idea of something that would help him."   
Lard Nar listened to her plan with interest.   
  
  
  
  


777 was trying to sleep again, still utterly exhausted. He’d finished the food that was brought to him, having made sure each of the little ones had gotten a little bit, even if it was just a bite to taste it out of curiosity.

  
Holly, however, opted to nurse; 777 hoped to get some more rest while she did.   
It was leagues easier than doing the same on the Vort prison; even with their bassinet, there was barely space for all of them on that slab bed and bare sheet.   
More importantly, there wasn’t an Irken guard to lose his temper if any of them got fussy. 

Just a soft, massive bed under a thick warm blanket, behind enclosed walls that weren’t open to prying Irken eyes.   
He could lay curled on his side, with plenty of space for all of them, nearly content for the first time in ages - a contentedness he’d hoped would be found if he had been able to rescue the children before Zim had a chance to catch him. 

Maybe if that had happened, he’d be out on the bridge fixing lights, being useful. Even if he looked terrible, he at least would be feeling leagues better than now. 

  
But he was useful here; where his children needed him. Where they were enjoying real comfort for the first time in their long lives. At the very least, that was a silver lining to the mess he was living now. With or without the hybrid, they were in a safe haven.  
Holly had fallen asleep, with her little hand clenching a fistful of his dense fur. Just as he was about to doze off, the light suddenly flipped on.

“Hey-o, Daddy!” A voice boomed.  
  
777 gasped, shooting upright to see who had burst in.   
  
“Who’s there!?” He snatched the empty glass on the nightstand and threw it at the intruder.   
  
G’raggo shielded himself with his arm as it bounced off him. In a show of reflexes, he snatched it with his other hand before it could hit the floor.  
  
"Woah!” He yelped. “Hey slow down, it’s us!”  
  
777 was prepared to throw the empty plate, before he recognized G’raggo and the others that had left Moo-Ping 10 with him.   
  
“So it is.” He set it down slowly.  
  
In the midst of the chaos, Holly belted out a startled wail, having been abruptly separated from her father’s belly.   
“Daddy!” She howled between incoherent blabbers 

“Oh...were we interrupting?” G’raggo pointed at her. 

“Oh no, we weren’t getting comfortable at all.” 777 sarcastically hissed, scooping up Holly so she was cradled across his lap.  
  
“Sorry, sweetie.” He lowly cooed, rocking back and forth gently. 

“We...made these” The fishman tilted a tray of yellowish cookies for him to see. 

“You made cellblock pucks?” 777 raised a brow.  
  
“Well, it’s all we knew how to make in a pinch, but we figured we’d celebrate our escape and you getting your kids back.” Gr’aggo shrugged.

"We wanna see 'em too!" The mantisoid rasped.

"And you've been hiding; we thought we'd keep you company." The fishman overlapped. 

"Yeah, you've been caved in here alone for a while." Another former prisoner spoke.  
  
There were more statements of the like; 777 suddenly felt very crowded. And exposed. Holly still hadn't completely settled, now whining lowly.   
He raggedly extended a hand to accept a pastry that was being offered to him as they were being divided around the group.  
  
  
"I'm not really in the mood for celebrations." He grumbled. He nibbled on the edge.  
There wasn't much for flavor. But the texture...  
He was sent reeling back into the memory of eating one after Zim spent a good fifteen minutes threatening Goji specifically.

  
_"The tiny one", he kept calling her. He'd taken her out of the tube she was usually trapped in, but had been pointing a disintegration gun at her.   
_   
_At one point he accidentally fired, dissolving an Earth beast called "chicken" that he had been holding for experiments. _   
_Only then did Zim start to believe him when he said he didn't have more information about something he was looking for. Or maybe he got sick of the begging and pleading. _   
_Goji was placed back with her mortified sisters and the connection was ended. _   
_777 was released from his cell moments after. He felt numb as he joined the others in one of the recreation areas, where some - G'raggo included - were making the pucks.   
In his exhaustion from the whole event, 777 accepted one without any thought, too lost in the helplessness of being unable to protect his children._

  
It wasn't so much the memory itself that made him choke on what he bit into; but remembering the endless void of terror.  
He set it aside and dug Goji out from under the blanket. 

“No...I can't...you can...celebrate the escape together. I can't do this.” 777 hugged her defensively; she woke up momentarily, but dropped her head onto his shoulder after seeing where she had been moved.

G’raggo stepped back, suddenly realizing Lard Nar’s distress.  
  
"Sorry we disturbed you." He cleared his throat. "Let's give him the room, boys." He waved for them to follow. The centipede-like cyclops seemed to take the longest to realize the discomfort that suddenly filled the room. The others nodded, murmurs of agreement between the others, and they departed awkwardly. 

Lard Nar returned just as they were returning to the bridge. It didn't take more than a second for him to notice the sullen air.   
  
"Did you visit Talay when I specifically told you to leave him alone?" He crossed his arms under Donyx.   
  
"We uh..." The fishman started.   
  
"Yeah..." G'raggo sighed.   
  
"And then he kicked you out because you were overwhelming him?" Lard Nar crossed his arms.   
The silence was telling.  
  
"I'll give you tasks in a moment. I need introduce Talay to someone that would actually be of some help to him." Lard Nar reached down the ships ramp to take Udon's hand as she stepped in, with Tomkha not far behind, along with Spleenk and Ixane.   
  
"Uh, now will you tell us who she is?" Spleenk asked.  
  
"After we see Talay." Lard Nar groaned, exasperated as he closed the ramp. "Bring these couplings to Ido-Iko-Ibo." He pointed at the three-headed hulk opening up a ceiling panel. "We'll be back in a bit."  
Ixane helped Lard Nar free from the still-sleeping Donyx while Udon freed Tomkha from his hat and harness. Once loose, he immediately bolted down the bridge steps to the enormous window looking out into the hangar.   
  
"WOAH!" He exclaimed. "WOAH look at all the ships!"   
  


"Tomkha, you just saw them outside!" Udon called for him. "Come on, now, let's not distract them."  
  
"Babies are this way." Lard Nar added.   
That got Tomkha's attention. As quickly as he had come down, he went back up, grabbing Udon's hand to follow Lard Nar to the sleeping quarters.   
  
"Did uh...did that Vortian kid have antlers?" Schloonktapooxis blinked and shook himself, not having hands to rub his eyes with.  
  
"Sure did." G'raggo rubbed his chin. 

Lard Nar gently knocked on the door to his bedroom. He could hear Talay weeping lightly.  
  
"Talay...I know what happened." He gently started and opened the door a crack. He was clutching two of his children close. "I um...found something." He cleared his throat.  
  
"What? What could you possibly have found that would help me now!?" Talay dropped a limp fist on the bed.   
  
"You know how you said you missed your mum when the kids were born?" Lard Nar hoped it would be enough of a hook.  
  
"She's probably dead no thanks to the Irkens." He hugged the children tightly. "That's why I picked Goji for a name." 

Well that wasn't making a heartbreaking situation worse. 

He cleared his throat. "I might not have found your mum, but...found someone close enough." He pushed the door open the rest of the way.   
"Don't compare me to his - hello." Udon started to wave, but stopped.   
  
Talay looked far more disheveled than Lard Nar was letting on. It didn't help that he was in the midst of melting down.   
"HI!" Tomkha poked his head from behind Udon's gown.  
  
"You brought me a grandma?" Talay raised a brow. Then squinted. "And...and..." He pointed. "Is that _Prince Tomkha?_"  
  
"I'm Prince Boy!" Tomkha flung his arms up, his long sleeves slipping upwards.   
  
"I brought you Lady Udon." Lard Nar nodded, beaming. "And the Prince!" He restrained an excited squeal.  
  
"And you just happened to run into them?" Talay wiped his eyes, collecting his bearings as Udon approached.  
  
"Well, it was Tomkha who nearly ran into him. He wanted to see the baby." Udon rubbed Tomkha's head.   
  
"I never saw a green baby and now I saw a green baby." Tomkha wiggled his arms as he spoke, flapping the sleeves of his gown.  
  
"Did you?" Talay watched him; he realized he'd been making an effort to not think about Donyx. A twitch of guilt followed the realization.   
  
"And pink babies!" Tomkha planted his hands at the edge of the bed, shoving up to get a closer look at Holly while she dozed on Talay's shoulder.   
  
"Tomkha, dear, a little space, please." Udon moved him aside gently. "You can see the babies in a little bit."  
  
"Okay!" Tomkha hopped aside and back to Lard Nar as he leaned on the door frame.  
  
Talay started to hear Tomkha pitch a conversation. "You uhhhh...you ever had...uuuuhh! Sparkle Crunch Squares?"  
  
  
  
"Sorry about the Prince...it's been lonely for him with just an old woman to keep him company." Udon grabbed a chair from the breakfast nook and placed it by the bed so she could sit by him without invading his space.   
  
"My kids would know about loneliness." Talay sighed.  
  
"Your friend told me some of what happened to you." She folded her hands across her lap. "It's terrible."   
Talay rubbed his face. "It's worse than terrible. It was hellish." He groaned.  
  
"It's bad enough to have children in prison, but with Irkens that don't grasp certain aspects of biology..." 

When he looked her in the face, he noticed her curling horns had been cosmetically shortened and tapered.   
He could tell by the distance between segments that at some point in time, they were probably much longer - probably with another ring or two.   
He tapped his own uninjured horn where his segments were further before suddenly getting closer together as they got longer.   
  
"...Well, you know just as well as I how we confuse them even more." He winked.  
  
That was the first time Lard Nar seen Talay genuinely smile. He extended his hand for Udon to hold.   
  
"Oh, I already know that about you, dear." Udon laughed, gesturing to Holly, who had settled back to nursing after the abrupt interruption.   
  
"Yeah, it's...pretty obvious." Talay snickered.  
  
Udon cleared her throat after another short laugh.   
  
"Now...of course having your family under Irken control means you didn't have any ritual recovery?" She asked.   
Talay nodded. "It wasn't even a high priority in my mind at the time. Once they were sure I wasn't going to die, they just...kicked me back to my cell and told me to get it together." 

  
Udon nodded, humming a little. "After everything you've been through...do you think a late one will help?" She asked. "Especially if you haven't had a bath yet?"  
  
"Uh..." Talay looked like his thoughts had completely stopped, eyes wide. After a moment, he nodded.

"Uh, actually...yeah. Except for when I see myself in a mirror and I look like Death."  
  
"Then we'll cover the mirror. I used to do it all the time." Udon patted his knee.   
  
"Uuugh." Talay slumped. "I'm an engineer who designed the most dangerous weapons the galaxy has ever seen, I could have thought of that." He rubbed his eyes with another groan.   
  
"Your mind was elsewhere." She watched Acai slowly emerge from under the blanket with a wide yawn and stretch. She smacked her mouth and nestled against Talay's shoulder, not paying any attention to the new visitor.   
  
"They'll probably feel better with a bath too." She extended a hand slowly to touch Holly, but waited for a signal from Talay that it was alright. It was one nod.  
Her expression fell when she her hand went over Holly's back. "Oh, poor thing. She's so thin..."   
  
Talay nodded. "Yeah...you should see Goji if you think she's bad."   
  
"I believe it." Udon stroked Holly's cheek with her thumb, then grasped Talay's hand again. "Well...let's say I find you a room that would just be yours? Let your friend have his back?"  
Talay looked at where Lard Nar was standing by the door, listening to the Prince continue to chatter, keeping up the fakest smile he could.  
  
"And then all of the Sparkle Crunch Stars went aaaall over the floor!" he stretched his arms out, miming the scatter he was retelling.  
"And that was when Cousin Voon got real mad!"  
  
  
"Yeah...he shouldn't have to put up with my girls for another sleep cycle." He nodded with agreement. "I'd...get up, but I'm pretty pinned down." He traced his fingertips over the top of Holly's head and around her horn stub.  
  
"Don't worry about it, dear. Once I've found something and set up, I'll come get you."   
Talay nearly felt like melting. This perfect stranger had nothing to gain from wanting him to get better.   
And at the same time, she was the first to offer up anything really helpful. He grasped her hand. "I don't even know how to thank you. Since we've only just met..."   
She patted his hand. "Don't worry about it for now."   
  
She dimmed the light before departing with Lard Nar and Tomkha, who was now telling a different story.   
"How did you do that?" Lard Nar gawked. "I couldn't even begin to crack through to him!"  
  
"You went looking for a maternal figure and got one." She patted his shoulder.  
Lard Nar sputtered; she had indeed done exactly what he'd hoped she'd do. "Yes, you're right..." He sighed.   
"Now...let's see about getting Talay his own space." Udon suggested. "Which way to the family cabins?"   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prince Tomkha is brought to you with 85% Catbug and 15% Greg from Over the Garden Wall. 
> 
> Lady Udon is brought to you by Big Fairy Godmother Energy


	9. Just a Glorified Bath

The room that was settled on was a "family cabin". It was narrower than the Captain's cabin, but it had a sitting area with a kitchenette and a hall bathroom.   
Its master bedroom had its own bathroom - and a luxury bath that Udon and Lard determined must have been for elite passengers.   
  
The other room had two beds - one of which Tomkha immediately climbed on top of.  
"I call this one!" He proclaimed, arms stretched high. He was about to jump onto the other one, but in a burst of movement that surprised Lard Nar, she caught him from midair.   
"Let's not get so excited just yet! We need to get our things here." She rubbed the middle of his head and let Tomkha swing his legs as she held him under the arms.  
"We have a...tiny caravan in the docking station. I'm actually glad you found us, I don't think it's going to contain him for much longer." Udon let Tomkha loose to explore.  
  
"You're sprier than I thought." Lard Nar mused.  
"Well, I was his father's caregiver when he was a boy." Udon smiled wistfully.  
"He looks like him." Lard Nar observed. "I'm guessing he's..." He stopped when Udon heavily nodded.   
"I thought so..." Lard Nar cleared his throat.  
  
"Well, uh...we should have enough space for your caravan in our stowing area. I could send someone to get it if you tell us where it's parked."  
Udon's eyes brightened agreeably. "Of course. I'll pass along the keycard." She reached under the collar of her robe, down a hidden pocket in the front, and procured it.  
"Gamma Level, section 43-9." She said. "And...it's our size so, send someone small." She placed it in Lard Nar's hand. "I'm going to get things set up in here." She gestured her hand around the empty spaces.  
"It's..." She looked at a printed canvas depicting a painfully bright yellow mountainside from the planet the cruise ship originally came. "Tacky."  
She left the room to return to the master bedroom, where she found Tomkha lying in the empty bathtub. She chuckled, leaving him be and covering the mirror with a towel that was folded on a rack.   
"There's a start." She clapped her hands together. "Tomkha, you having fun in there?" She leaned in to look at him.   
"It's sooo big! It fit's all of me!" Tomkha flapped his limbs like he was making a snow angel.   
  
"Well, you can have a little more fun in here while I get things ready for our new friend." She leaned into the tub and touched his nose with her finger.   
He giggled. "Okay, Udie!" He kicked his feet in the air. "Can I help when I'm done having fun?" He asked.   
"Well, of course. I'll find things for you to do."   
  
Lard Nar backed out of the bathroom so she could leave. He cleared his throat. "Well, I'll bring this to...one of the Arachos, I guess." He determined after running the heights of his crew through his head.  
Udon nodded. "I'll be a few minutes." She started taking some candlesticks from her bag. "Then we'll get your friend in here."   
"Aren't you going all in." Lard Nar watched her set them up on the nightstand.   
"Well, there's a few elements that would be missing, so we'll have to go without." Udon shrugged. "Just with what we can pull together."

"I'll take my leave then." Lard Nar flipped the keycard between his fingers and returned to the bridge. He waved to a pair of Arachos that had finished helping Ido-Iko-Ibo with wiring they were fixing.  
"Look alive, boys. I'll take it from here. We need our new friend's ship in stowage." He handed one the keycard to one of them. "She says it's on Gamma Level, section 43-9."   
"Aye-aye, sir!" One of them saluted and both hurried to the ship ramp to lower it.   
Lard Nar cracked his fingers. "Let's get something useful done while we wait." He muttered to himself. "How 'bout a lift, Ido-Iko-Ibo?" He called up. "You look like you're having some trouble with your reach."

The head on the left shoulder looked down. "Right away, Captain." They extended an arm for Lard Nar to hop onto, around his back, and into the ceiling.   
"Thank you! And pass me a light." Lard Nar waved a hand behind him.

As the Arachos entered Gamma-level on the tower, tucked inside for small ships, rather than the sides for large ships, they maneuvered around the smaller groups that were entering or exiting. One bumped into someone on their own.  
"Sorry!" They croaked and darted away.   
The stranger had stumbled, but caught his step as they circled around him. They didn't pay attention to his entire appearance, only noticing the digitigrade legs and antlers.  
But the Vortian nobleman recognized the tiny caravan they were approaching.  
Laksa stopped in his path, confused by the perfect strangers entering the familiar ship - and with a keycard he almost recognized even from a distance. He stood out of the path as the ship started to lift, elevated by dorsal jets, and jettisoned out of the tower.   
Laksa leaned to look out a window on the walking path - and saw the caravan flying toward a ship of manufacture he didn't recognize - in fact, it looked like it was a patchwork of multiple ships. He almost considered investigating. But...he'd certainly be noticed.  
  
And he'd had a bad day. No point in making in pushing it further.   
A tense spark of pain in his abdomen reminded him that it was time to stop. His temper from his conversation with Smilax had not cooled.   
And he could hear music blasting loudly from his own ship from far down the path - much to the annoyance of the others in the tower.   
"Oh, Princess. You've got some explaining to do." He sighed wearily.

This was the third time...  
  
  


When the Arachos returned, Lard Nar was completely inside the ceiling, with a flashlight headband strapped on, and finding more problems with the lights than he was anticipating. He needed more connectors. There was a whole section of wire that needed to be replaced.   
"Captain, we've got the ship in stowage!" He heard one of the Arachos call, voice muffled by the insulation.   
"Excellent!" I'll be right down!" He wrapped a bright purple tag around the wire that needed to be fixed, and a reflective sticker on a plug that was corroding. He army crawled out, and slipped out into Ido-Iko-Ibo's waiting hand. "I've found more problems deeper inside." He wiped dust from his hands and face with a towel another Aracho had.  
  
Udon had returned, with Tomkha trailing her, zipping around rather than following in a straight line. She had arrived and come back multiple times - but mostly for a bucket, which she didn't specify purpose for.  
"Everything's set up." She told Lard Nar. "I'll need someone to keep an eye on him while I proceed with Talay." She reached out, hoping for her hand to fall on his head. Instead, he had approached the former Moo-Ping 10 prisoners, awing at G'raggo and his friends.   
"Woah, you're a tall guy!" He exclaimed.  
"Sure am, kid." G'raggo laughed lightly. "You want one of these?" He offered one of the spare cellblock pucks that had been made.   
"Yeah!" Tomkha stretched his hands out "Please and thank you!"   
  
"Will that work for you?" Lard Nar almost laughed.  
"Yes, I think so." Udon's amusement fell away at Tomkha's response to the cookie's flavor.   
"S'nt very good." He made a face, but kept eating anyway.   
At the very least, the ex-prisoners were amused.  
"Nah kid...nah they aren't." G'raggo wiped some water from his eyes after a hearty laugh. He picked up Tomkha and set him on his shoulder. "How's that, kiddo?"  
"Um, I could be a liiittle bit taller, but, not too much taller." Tomkha observed his new vantage point, planting a hand on G'raggo's hand to hold his balance.  
"Yep. There's your babysitters." Lard Nar gestured.  
  
"Let's get our father moved, then." Udon nodded approvingly, seeing the prince satisfied with a more flavorful cracker.   
"Yes, let's please get him out of my bed." Lard Nar clapped his hands together. "I ended up sleeping in the chair because Talay was up half the time trying to take care of everyone." He followed her to his quarters.  
"And you didn't help him?" Udon raised a brow.  
"What was there to do? Donyx couldn't be satisfied with anything and he was keeping the older ones up." Lard Nar sagged, exhausted by the thought of it.  
"Well, there's plenty. You could have held him while he looked after the older children, for one." Udon suggested.   
Lard Nar raised a finger - and realized she was right.  
  
When they returned to Talay, he was upright in the bed, with one daughter under each arm, and one laying on his chest, as he read quietly to them from one of the books that had been delivered. He looked up at the sound of their quiet arrival.   
"Hey, Nar." He waved. "Hi, Udon." He cleared his throat. "Decided it wasn't worth it to try to nap again if I was going to be moved in a bit."  
"Are you nearly finished with the story?" Udon approached. "And which one?"  
"Oh, we're just looking at pictures now." Talay sighed. "But then I realized they've never seen grass, so...there goes The Coat of Prince Niam." 

"They will soon." Udon put out her arms so Goji could have a chance to climb up if she wanted. She hesitated a moment, before putting her arms out to be lifted.   
Udon scooped her and helped Talay out of the bed after Lard Nar secured Holly. Acai stayed clinging to Talay - and she was the most apprehensive about the move once they stepped out into the hall.  
"Hey, we're just going somewhere different." Talay assured her. "And we'll get a nice bath." He stroked her head.  
"And something to wear." Udon added.   
"Yeah, that would be important." Talay chuckled. "Been a bit since you've had that."  
  
Talay had expected the magic to start as soon as they entered the new room. He was surprised that the communal area was mostly untouched, save for a teapot that was steeping on a tray.   
"Oh." He mused to himself.   
"Right in here." Udon opened the door to a bedroom with dimmed lights. Lit candles. Burning incense.   
The bed had been cleared of excess pillows - and there was an electric blanket running.   
"Oh!" He gasped. "Boy, you're...really pushing it." He breathed in the air. "Yeah, this would be an old home recovery rite."   
"You should have seen what was done for Tomkha's mother." Udon sighed nostalgically. "But, since she was the Crown Prince's wife, obviously there were some very distinct differences." She lead him into the bathroom, where the tub was filled and the aroma of scented oils struck Talay immediately.   
Acai covered her nose with a yelp, but adjusted when Talay stepped in.  
He noticed the towel over the mirror and smiled. "That is better..." He sighed.  
  
Udon took up Holly from Lard Nar.   
"Do you want to stand in as the second parent or...leave us to it?" She asked.   
Lard Nar considered it a moment. Until Talay started taking off his shirt entirely.  
"Uhhh, I'm good out here. I've got work to do on the bridge." He cleared his throat. "This is something Talay was wanting to go alone on, anyway."  
Udon nodded understandingly. "Of course. Leave us to it, then. I'll let you know when you can Visit."  
"...normally or as part of this whole thing? I've never been to a recovery rite." Lard Nar realized.  
"Normal visits tie in, dear. The ceremony may be short, but the actual Recovery takes its time."   
Lard Nar nodded. "Well...I'll see you then." He waved and stepped away.  
  
She closed the door and set the two girls on the floor to help Talay, offering him another towel to wrap around his waist for privacy.   
"Between us strangers. I'm sure it would be different if I was family, but with the circumstances..." She turned around so he could finish undressing and put on the towel.   
"Hey, you wouldn't be the first to see me strip. My uh...friends from Moo-Ping 10 never really cared." Talay assured her. "But I like the intent." He stepped into the bath, and carefully stooped in, holding Acai so she wouldn't submerge immediately.  
The heat of the water immediately washed over his legs and waist - not quite searing - but not so hot that it was painful. He could almost call it a cleansing heat.   
He slipped further in, realizing just how big the tub was, but not so much that Acai would be overwhelmed.   
"Oh, why didn't I do this earlier." He groaned, eyelids flitting pleasurably. He took a handful of water and gently dripped it down Acai's back. She yelped for a moment, but didn't jump. She wiggled as she adjusted to the heat, and then sprawled out, closing her eyes.  
  
"Now we just need to get the others in." He rubbed her back. "They...kinda need a real cleanup before anything ceremonial." He realized.  
"They always get a real cleanup before the ceremonial portion. It's just a different kind." Udon motioned for him to sit up and take the other two.   
All three were initially resistant to the water - especially Acai, who stayed clinging to her father by a fistful of his fur.   
"Jokes on you, kiddo, you're making it easier." Talay teased as he scrubbed soap onto her head and back. Goji held him tightly by his side, but Holly adjusted quickly, splashing her hands in the water to soak herself.   
"At least you're having a good time." 

When Lard Nar returned to the bridge, Shloonkapooxis was waiting to report back the progress on the work in the ceiling.   
"Yeah, we're working on the wire right now, but that corroded bit's gonna have to come out." He explained.   
"Of course it is..." Lard Nar groaned. "Gonna have to...go back into the Market Tower. Again. It's a bit walk! And there's a crowd! And I think I saw someone selling things they shouldn't!"   
"I could take a group." One of the crew said - a dark gray Kaungarva in red robes. "We keep finding other problems...and would like to get out of the ship ourselves."   
Lard Nar nodded agreeably. "Very well, Momo Larloch. Just be back before Sleep Cycle." He warned.  
  
As Momo Larloch rounded up a few others, Shloonkapooxis floated in closer to Lard Nar.  
"So um...what's going on with your friend?" He asked.   
"A cleansing and healing rite. Usually it's done immediately after a birth, but Talay didn't get one in the Vort prison. And after all he's been through, it seemed necessary to do it now." Lard Nar explained. "And they all desperately needed a bath, anyway. I should...get my bedding changed." He rubbed his chin in realization.  
"So basically it's a glorified bath and a nap?" G'raggo asked, still carrying Tomkha on his shoulders.  
"No it isn't, it's..." Lard Nar started to retaliate, arm pointed up - and then dropped. "Oh...oh, it is..." He cleared his throat. "But the emotion around it is what's important. And the actual part that's ceremonial." 

"You know there, kinda waaas a birth?" Shloonkapooxis pointed his tail at Ixane, who was still carrying Donyx around with her.   
"Talay has been...uncomfortable with him." Lard Nar realized. "But...I do need Ixane's hands free and I've another Vortian now."   
He stamped his foot thoughtfully. Then approached Ixane.  
"Hey, I need to borrow the kid a minute!" He called. 

After the triplets were completely bathed, Udon set to helping Talay by rubbing down his back, and making sure he didn't get his bound horn soaked.   
Once she got in close, she noticed a mark across his back.  
"What's this?" She asked, gingerly touching it.   
Talay yelped as a searing pain shot through the area. "Ow! What are you talking about?" He reached back to feel what she had found.  
There was a rough patch. Like a light burn. He felt breath leave his body. He remembered.   
"Um...I'll...explain later...when we're done here." He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I...didn't think there was anything there. I was so focused on my horn and getting the kids safe..."  
Udon grasped his shoulders. "If you need to wait, we can wait. It should be easy to treat in the meantime."   
She patted him. "Now...are you ready for the important part?"  
  
Before Talay could reply, there was a knock.   
"It's me!" Lard Nar called. "I brought something." He carefully opened the door, with the hybrid in one arm.   
"Oh..." Talay shifted away slightly, to Lard Nar's surprise. He still reached out when Udon took him. "Let's try this again."  
Lard Nar stayed by the door, waiting to decide if it was best to remove the hybrid again.   
Donyx squirmed and whimpered against Talay's damp body. Hoping for something, Talay reluctantly placed his small finger into his mouth.  
The hybrid gnawed, but didn't suck. And there was something sharp on top of his gums. Talay couldn't quite see what it was.  
When he pulled his finger back, there was a slight cut.  
"Well that's...odd" He wondered. He felt better about leaving the feeding to someone else as he submerged his hand in the water to clean the cut.  
At least the girls were mindful with the few teeth they did have.  
  
He remembered Zim discussing the way Earth's water reacted with his skin - and noticed nothing was happening to Donyx. While he took the time to examine the hybrid over further than before, Udon was giving rites to the triplets, repeating a message for each of them, and rubbing a strong-scented oil in a V-shape between their horn stubs and eyes.  
"You've come a long way and there's further still to go. On this day, you're blessed for protection and luck."   
All of them immediately rubbed the oil when she was done, though each responded in their own indignation.  
Holly even fell backwards into the water - and was quickly snatched up before she could completely submerge.  
"Oh, you silly child!" Udon laughed with relief when she emerged completely soaked.   
  
She wiped the water from Holly's face, then slid to see the hybrid. "Now, since this one is actually a newborn...he's likely to care a little less." She dripped the oil on her fingers and did the same thing. He squirmed at the smell, but didn't make noise.   
"Time for yours." Udon nodded to Talay.  
She left the same trace - careful with what touched the bandaging on his horn, but spoke differently.   
"You've come far, now everything has changed. With your mark made new, let protection and luck be your strength."   
  
"We're all going to need luck now." Talay sighed. "And what good has protection done us when our planet narrowly avoided an Organic Sweep? When I started my family in prison and...well, I'm sure you considered the Royals family."   
Udon's expression became sullen. But she didn't say anything. "Now is the time to think in the present. In your present." She gently cupped his chin.   
Talay nodded slightly and looked at Donyx as his continued to squirm in one arm.   
"My present isn't exactly a positive experience either." He sighed and passed Donyx to Udon. "Right now, with him..." He grasped his horn.

He suddenly remembered...

_Kneeling at the glass tube. Pulling open a panel that held its controls. His adrenaline rushing and heart racing with the utter joy of being so close to them again. _  
_So close to having them in his arms again._  
_Then everything coming to a stop when the children suddenly yelped with alarm, as something grabbed him by the horn and yanked him backwards.   
He couldn't even remember what Zim had said - just that he said it loudly.   
He tried to fight him off, buck his legs out to kick him in the gut. It worked for a moment, until something shocked him in the back. And he collapsed.   
He was barely aware as Zim dragged him off to another part of the lab and strapped him to that table. Then the worst continued to happen.   
And that drill..._

He was snapped back by Udon gently shaking his shoulder, calling his name repeatedly.   
"Talay, are you alright?" Her voice came through.   
He clutched middle of his chest, trembling, feeling his heart racing again.   
Only Holly seemed to have notice that he lost all focus - Acai and Goji were playing in the water. She leaned over his side and nestled into his damp fur.   
Talay swallowed and took a deep breath. "I think I'd like to get out now." He wiped his eyes. "We all need to lie down." He lifted up Holly and hugged her close. 

_Especially after how easily Zim pulled her and her sisters away.  
Before shoving him deeper into his cell on Moo-Ping 10. The barrier closed just as he was about to cross back over.   
Zim didn't look back or say a word; he stalked away, ignoring Vortian Prisoner Number 777 as he shouted for him, beat the barrier in desperation, until he collapsed to the floor in despair, long after he couldn't hear the children anymore.   
He didn't even feel G'raggo's consoling hand on his back for a minute at the least, delaying their formal introduction to one another.   
_

He drew Goji in next. Then Acai. At the very least, they didn't question it. They were just happy for a cuddle while Udon retrieved towels for them.   
Each one was wrapped up and buffed dry as Talay slipped into a plush white bathrobe - then helped the children into some of loose nightgowns that had been found on the first trip out to the Market Tower. Holly resisted for a little bit, but once she was in, stopped when she realized she was warmer than without.   
When they returned to the bedroom, G'raggo was waiting, slouched on a chair against the wall.  
Tomkha was snoozing over his chest. He sat up a little bit, but was careful to not wake up Tomkha.  
"Hey, Seven...I mean, uh...Talay." He cleared his throat. "I wanted to apologize about earlier. And I brought you something the Captain said you'd actually like." He pointed at the nightstand, where a bowl of instant noodles was sitting.   
  
Talay got each of the children onto the bed before climbing into the bed himself. He picked up the flimsy bowl, hit immediately with the intense smell of hot spice.  
"Oh holy..." He breathed it in and stared up at G'raggo. "I...can't even begin to tell you how much I craved these when I was pregnant." He scooped some of the noodles into the fork that was brought along - that cute little plastic fork that was tucked inside the bowl with the packets and noodles.   
"I had a lot of late nights of work with these..."

  
_The first bite sent him back to a night where he and Lard Nar argued fervently over the design of a new variety of cruiser for the Irkens. They had eaten several bowls already and one still had some of its fluid in it. In the midst of the argument, the cup got knocked over. It ruined the ink on the paper. _  
_They hurried to blot it out, and when they were done, the ink had smeared and stretched, creating a wavy wing, rather than a straight curve that resembled the Spittle Cruiser too closely._  
_"That works." They agreed at last.   
  
And so they presented the Soup Cruiser to their supervisor the next morning._

He almost choked on the spice - and a laugh. The Soup Cruiser actually made it into the armada. He cleared his throat and let Goji pop her head under his arm.  
"Was'is?" She pointed.   
"Oh...sweetie, you won't like it." He gently warned as she leaned in to smell the broth.   
"Ech!" She recoiled.   
He patted her back. "Now, I'm sure our friend G'raggo can bring something." He nodded toward him, where Udon was scooping Tomkha off his chest. She touched his arm with a word of gratitude and brought him out of the large bedroom.   
G'raggo nodded. "Yep. I'll...get you something for kids." He winked and strode away.   
  
Talay swung his legs up so he was lying on the bed as he ate. Eventually Goji did come back asking to try it again. This time, he gave her a tiny portion of a noodle.   
She fell backwards, yowling at the burn, and cried.   
Within seconds, Udon had burst into the room in a panic. "Is she alright?!" She gasped, clutching her chest in a state of shock.  
"She's fine, she just had her first taste of Vorteri Pepper." Talay assured her, picking up Goji as she wailed face-down on the bed.  
"She didn't even cry this much when..." He stopped, remembering the separation. "Never mind."

He rubbed her cheeks consolingly while she buried her face into his neck. "See, what did I say?"   
Udon leaned into the wall with a sigh of relief. "Oh, is that all? Ohh, poor thing." She wiped her forehead.   
The other two were cringing away from the bowl. But the way they looked at him, eyes wide and mouths slightly gaping...it was the first time he'd noticed a look of "mad respect" from them.   
Udon chuckled at their expressions. "Daddy must be very strong if he can eat that." She suggested.   
Holly and Acai nodded slowly in agreement. 

  
"Well...I'll leave you be for a moment." Udon breathed out. "I'm going to collect Donyx's things for my room. Then I'll be back to help you if you need it."   
"This is the Quarantine, isn't it? We'll be alone for a bit, anyway." Talay reminded her.   
"Then I'll leave you to it. Get some more rest, and I'll make sure no one interrupts you again. There's a comlink in the drawer if you need me." She pointed at the nightstand.   
Talay nodded. "Okay." He stretched his arms and laid down as Udon departed.   
  
He stared up at the ceiling. As he had with the cells he had spent the last few years on. Or months.   
But this time, the bed wasn't a slab. There wasn't a sink obstructing his space. Or an electrified barrier surrounding him on all sides.   
The bed was just as wide and soft as in the other room. But it was warmer. And somehow homier.   
Maybe it was because of the bath. Or the incense - which reminded him of what his mother used to burn in his childhood home.   
And yet the darkness above was the same.

_When he was completely alone. _  
_When he was pregnant. _  
_When they were tiny, tiny newborns, practically glued to him._  
_He remembered the field that didn't make any sense besides to make a point about how trapped he was._  
_Lying flat on that slab if there was nothing to do, staring out at the proof that there was no escape._  
  
_When he felt completely alone._  
_When his children were lightyears away and he couldn't comfort them in any way he knew how, while they were alone with a maniac that threatened their lives. _  
_When his cellmate didn't know how to help him when he was in pain. _  
_The ceiling bare of any light fixtures only made the dark pit forming inside him worse._  
_When his love had nowhere to go. _

With a gasp like he had come up from a deep dive underwater, he snapped himself alert and rolled onto his side, gently moving Goji with him. She had calmed down, but was a little surprised by the move.   
"Okay..." He breathed out slowly. "Okay, let's get some cuddles and a nap, huh?" He suggested, pulling the other two closer.   
"Okay." Each of them chimed.   
"Yeah, we've had a big few days." He touched a finger on each of their heads as they huddled in. "Let's have a few small ones."   
He pulled up one of the throw blankets and draped it over himself and them. Once he was certain they were asleep, he felt the temptation to cover his head with it.  
So that ceiling wouldn't lord its empty darkness over him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's on Anxiety and PTSD


	10. Laksa and the Princess

When Laksa entered his ship, he practically had to struggle past the blare of the pop tune blasting from his ship. It was just a few decibels below the point of bringing on a migraine. He didn't even pause to look at the teenager dancing erratically on one of the two lofts within the ship, with the hood of her gown somehow managing to stay over her head.   
But the moment he shut off the radio, he heard her rush down the stairs.   
"Hey!" She shoved her hood off, revealing her own small antlers, which only had two very thin branches. "I was listening to that!"   
"So was the whole tower, young lady." Laksa pointed at the couch. "Sit down, Voon. Give me a good reason why you had to cause a disturbance like this." 

She crossed her arms defiantly. "No, you sit down! You broke my heart into a million pieces!"   
Laksa rolled his eyes. "Oh, for sake, child. He was far more than twice your age and not even a Vortian."   
"You didn't have to break his jaw and call in your _pal!_ Now he's dead!" Voon fell over the couch and laid upside down on it.   
"I did not break his jaw!" Laksa pushed her legs of the couch's back so she was forced to lay flat. "But I wish I did, all things considered."   
He stepped away to hang up his coat on a rack, revealing his pink Irken regalia.  
A gold pocket watch was pinned over his heart, with an engraving depicting Vort's solar system.  
It didn't make a sound; the backside was warped. 

"You're dating someone younger than you!" Voon whined. "You don't see me beating you up!"  
"Dol Oro is a grown man. And a Vortian. Who can tell when someone is up to no good." He huffed. "And things are complicated between us right now."   
Voon pointed and laughed derisively. "You're the one that freaked out that one time, not him!"   
"How did you hear that--" Just as Laksa was about to retaliate, there was a knock at the ship's door. He hurried to check the security screen at the control deck.  
It appeared to be a Vortian. But Laksa knew better.   
He had that horrible robot. And his horn segments had no rhyme or reason between distance. 

He popped the door open and motioned for the visitor to come inside.   
The little robot accompanying him followed along, hovering under its skirt section for just a minute until it came over the stairs.  
"What is it NOW, Blar?" Laksa groaned. A holo-disguise dissolved off the Vortian, revealing a tall, dark green, purple eyed Irken in a blue uniform.  
"I'm here about the...scuffle." Blar started in his low voice. "What was your intent with starting a fight with that Balgor?"   
"He was a predator and I was protecting the Princess from him."   
Blar seemed confused. "Was he going to eat her? I thought Balgors were vegetarians?"   
  
"Oh, you stupid Irken." Laksa growled under his breath.  
"He was my one true love!" Voon dramatically draped over the couch's arm.  
"He was a manipulator _and you're a child_!" Laksa pressed his hand over his eyes. "You people..." He pinched between his eyes.  
Blar eyed Voon as she ended up slipping completely to the floor. "Why do you still have her in your charge? You should have brought her to the Massive by now."   
"The Massive is too far away for my caravan right now. And there's still her cousin to find. I'd rather have both." Laksa uncomfortably eyed the robot was brought in.  
"Why do _you_ still have that outdated MADAM?" He pointed at it.   
"LUCY has served me too well over the years. There's nothing wrong with her functionality." Blar almost put his hand in front of it protectively.   
  
"Woah oh, he loves the robot! Better punch him in the face!" Voon shouted from the floor.   
"I'm not punching Officer Blar in the face! Go to your loft!" Laksa pointed feverishly at it, feeling his temper begin to wane.  
"You're not my dad!" Voon scrambled up, but stormed up the steps anyway and pulled the privacy curtain - which conveniently had a sound barrier.  
Laksa felt a twitch of offense down his spine. Which settled on his hip in a sharp sting. He limped to the medicine cabinet and cracked open a heating pack, wrapping it in a thin cloth and dropping onto the couch. He pressed it hard on the sore spot. 

"So why did the Balgor want to eat the Princess?" Blar asked again.  
"_He didn't want to eat her!_" Laksa slapped himself in the face. "But he was still a danger and I had to protect her."  
"And you did that instead of finding the new Vortian that arrived?" He asked.   
"I saw one at the clinic if that's the one you're referring to. He was carrying a baby; said it was a friend's." Laksa rubbed his chin, remembering. "I didn't really pay that much mind. Wanted to make sure that Balgor didn't break any ribs in our little scuffle."   
He heard Voon from her loft. "He went whining to his ex!"   
"Your what? What does she mean by X?" Blar blinked, seeming more confused.   
"How have you never..." Laksa started to anxiously fiddle the watch between his fingers. 

"Yes, I was seen by a former lover, and that...went very poorly. But I was uninjured. Physically." He cleared his throat.   
"I don't even know why you're bothering with asking me questions. Especially now that there's nothing to do about him anymore, no thanks to the MADAM." He edged away from the old machine. The laser set in the middle of a "bow" on its head always made him uneasy. Especially now that he had seen a reminder of what it could do.  
"You're the one that called me in about the disturbance." Blar crossed his arms. "This is business to finish. And now I know there's cannibals to look out for. I'll have to send a warning out to the Invader Yoogli, he's still conquering the Balgor home planet."  
Laksa clicked his tongue. "Idiot." He thought.  
"Well. Nothing left to do but wait for Voon to cool off. Which...might take some time. Now, if you don't mind, I was trying to help that process along. I think we're done here." He pointed at the door.  
  
Blar switched his disguise back on. "I'll be around if there's any more scuffle. I've my own quarry to hunt." He turned dramatically toward the door.  
"And fix your horn segments!" Laksa shouted as he departed. "They're completely uneven!"   
He sank back when there was silence, pressing the heat pack in harder.  
Voon came back down the steps. "Sooo...baby at the clinic?" She asked.   
"It was green." Laksa nodded.   
"There's lots of green babies." Voon shrugged. "Don't see what's special about that." She plopped next to him. "You gonna find that guy? Make sure he stays quiet and pretend he doesn't exist as usual?"  
"I'm much more interested in a new ship that came in. You should see it. It's chaos. Whoever made it shoved pieces of our old warships onto a cruise liner. I think the front was from an Irken prison ship?" He rubbed his head. "A long-retired one at that." He thought back. "Tallest Miyuki Era."   
  
Voon jumped up when he started listing off the ships he recognized. "Okay old guy, I'm gonna dig in the pantry a bit. You have fun being old." She sauntered away to the tiny kitchen tucked under the second loft. "I'm going to eat my feelings. And my feelings feel like chips. Easy to break!" She disappeared under the counter.   
Laksa sighed and approached his window, peering out into the inner tower. He could still see that ship.  
Where _her_ caravan went. What was she doing in that monstrosity?   
And who brought her caravan into it?

** _And what idiot in Royal Family allowed Voon to have no sense of personal safety?_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was short, but I wanted a little bit of a break from the heaviness of Talay's side and get a proper introduction in for Laksa, Voon, and even Officer Blar and LUCY, even if their parts were small.


	11. Crossing Paths

The baby was certainly odd. In the bright light of the second bedroom of the suite, Udon could get a better look at the hybrid she only had glances of - or seen in the dark.   
She couldn't quite tell where the Irken ended and the Vortian began. No wonder he was so uncomfortable. In inspecting his mouth, she noticed a thin white sliver. It scraped over her finger when she touched it.   
"Is that an egg tooth?" She wondered. But then he would have had it when he came out of the tube.   
Maybe he came out earlier than intended and the tooth was starting to grow in. She started to wonder just how much Mung had checked him over, if such a situation had gone missing. 

"Come on, then." She slipped out with him tucked in her arm. "Let's see if we can get you to eat." She rubbed his lip, hoping it would coax him to open his mouth.   
He squirmed and jerked his head away. That was certainly not a normal reaction.   
She when she arrived in the kitchen, she found Tomkh with G'raggo and the former prisoners. He was sitting on the floor with his long sleeves rolled up to his shoulders (held up with cooking twine), and he rambled while jabbing a spoon in a bowl filled with some kind of slurry.   
"Hi, Udie!" He waved, flinging the spoon out from the bowl. "We're making bread!"   
"Are you, now?" Udon asked. "What sort of bread?"  
"Iuhno" Tomkha shrugged.   
"Something better than that stuff that was brought back from the market." G'raggo rolled his eyes. "I think that Spleenk guy got the oldest stale stuff for cheap." 

Udon nodded. "Do you know where his milk is?" She pointed at the hybrid.   
"Powder's on the shelf." G'raggo pointed. "Any idea why Talay isn't looking after him? It's his kid, right?"   
Udon opened the tin with one hand, sighing. "From what your captain told me, the events around his creation were traumatic. He needs some distance." She prepared the rest of the bottle without another word, making quick work of it.  
"Yeah, it was...pretty ugly in there." G'raggo cleared his throat. "We thought we'd find him dead or dying."   
"I think he may be wanting to connect at the least. But if he came to that planet for his daughters, then he did." She shook the bottle and found a chair to sit in with the hybrid.  
"And this is a problem for another day." 

G'raggo looked between her and Tomkha. "So...just a regular day for you?" He asked.   
"Oh no, I didn't get Tomkha in my charge until he was weaned from his mother. I _did_ help my brother's house staff raise his son." She frowned bitterly. "But that was a matter of disinterest, not trauma. And I don't like talking about my brother, so I'll say no more."   
"Sucks, lady." Graggo took the bowl from Tomkha. "Hey, I think we're ready to put that in the pan!" He changed his tone to be more exciting for Tomkha.   
"Can I lick the batter?" Tomkha hopped along behind him.   
"Nah kid, you won't like it til it's done." G'raggo shook his head. "Trust me, I know." He put Tomkha on his shoulder so he could watch him set the dough into the round pan he had uncovered. And then that in the fridge.   
"Rise time!" He shut the fridge.   
  
"Yay! What's rise?!" Tomkha's tone went unchanged even as he asked.   
Udon laughed just for a moment, still struggling to get him to take the bottle.  
"He only did it twice." Ixane abruptly appeared over her shoulder. "He's a pain in the butt to deal with, and I say that growing up in an Orphanarium." She patted the baby's head. "I've tried all the different ways to hold him and he didn't like it."   
Udon sighed. "Well, we need to get something in him." She noticed the wood spoon Tomkha was still waving around as he chattered - apparently pretending it was as ship.   
"Captain! We gots space pirates! They're on our flank!" He plucked up the sifter that had been used for the flour. "Aaaa they're comin! Captain, the captain's your ex boyfriend Shaun!"   
He spun a little circle, as the former prisoners weren't quite sure what to make of the situation. "Well boys, I guess this is our entertainment for the evening." G'raggo shrugged. "Before you start handing him more props, could you pass me a soup spoon?" Udon waved.   
"Uh, sure." G'raggo handed her one - then a fistful of various silverware that he scattered on the floor by Tomkha.   
  
He dropped the two "ships" and grabbed a pickle fork and cheese knife. "Shaun! How dare you steal from my ship!" He waved the pickle fork.   
The ex prisoners all slowly crouched to the floor one by one to listen to his imaginative play. 

Udon, meanwhile, poured a little bit of the formula onto the spoon she was given and touched it to the hybrid's mouth. He didn't resist it, and almost lapped it as it went in.   
"Well..." She tried the same thing a few more times. "That should do it."   
It took longer on the spoon than she thought, but at least by the end of it, the hybrid had perked up a little. He still seemed confused about existence, but he was more alert.   
Lard Nar sauntered into the kitchen, wiping grease from his arms and hands. "Well, I've had enough work for the day, I'm..." He stopped in the doorway.  
"Uhh..." He watched as Tomkha was performing a "fight" between silverware.   
"You'll never get away with this, Shaun! But Jeremy, I've always loved you! YOUR LOVE MEANS NOTHING!"  
  


Upon looking up, Lard Nar noticed the prisoners were completely enthralled; one of them was even weeping a little.   
"This kid's a master of drama..." G'raggo whispered, index fingers pressed together against his mouth.  
Lard Nar turned around. "I'mmm going to eat at one of those vendors I kept seeing then." He awkwardly waved.  
Tomkha shoved the cheese knife across the floor. "AAAA! SHAUN NOOOooo!" He raised the pickle fork dramatically. Then dropped it. "The end." He stood up suddenly and started to pick up his 'props'.   
The prisoners clapped around him as he cleaned up.   
Donyx jerked his head toward the sound, eyes bugging. He kicked his legs and made little gurgles.   
"There's that baby." Udon lifted him upright and to her shoulder. "Yes, there you are." She patted his back. 

Lard Nar could spot where a few of his crew were already gathered around a covered food station, hurrying to join them.  
"Captain!" The all welcomed him - a few of them were clearly drunk.   
"Hello! I came to see what was out." He crawled up on a spare stool. "The kitchen in the ship was busy." He decided it was best to not explain.   
"They've got good taouitos." The spike-chined insectoid rebel rasped, showing him his plate. "Then I'll have some of that." Lard Nar turned to the cook on staff.  
"I'll have what he's having."   
As the chef affirmed the order, Lard Nar noticed the nobleman arriving, with a teenager on his arm.  
"What brings you back, already?" The cook asked him. "We only just got the floor cleaned up." He pointed to the other side of the food station, where the wall was caved in slightly. "You hit that creep pretty hard. A lot. Picking on your daughter?" He pointed at the teenager.   
"She's not my--" The nobleman glumly started.  
"You sure treat me like one!" The teenager responded, pouting. "And he was charming!"   
"Dear, we've been over this...for the fourth time..." He covered his eyes.   
"And why are you taking me here!?" The girl crossed her arms. "It's nothing but misery!"   
"Because you like their flaky florgs, I thought they might help you feel better." The nobleman pointed to the fryer.   
"...yeah, I guess I do..." Came a long sigh from the girl.   
  
Lard Nar watched their interaction, a bit confused. This had to have been the Laksa was that Udon was so afraid to encounter.  
There was an implication he had the princess as a prisoner. And yet he had her out and about, even protecting her from unwarranted advances, even if she was stubbornly unaware. Violently protecting, judging by the caved-in wall.  
"Two flaky florg orders, please." The nobleman patted the girl's shoulder. "And horg nectar with that."   
"On the house. I've had suspicions about that guy and no one would do anything about it. Guess he learned his lesson."   
The nobleman laughed anxiously. "Oh, he won't make that mistake again. Ever."   
_That_...was suspicious.  
  
Lard Nar leaned forward, squinting as they took a table and talked quietly between one another. He could understand some words from time to time.  
"That's what he wanted you to think." "But he said he would--" "_They always say that!_"  
Were they sure they weren't father and very stubborn daughter? And was he sure that was the princess? She would have disappeared from Vort a few years ago; chances are she would look a bit different.   
Lard Nar chewed on his order when it arrived. But that was when the nobleman noticed him, brow raised high.   
He jumped and looked away, pretending he hadn't been trying to listen in.   
Too late; the nobleman was approaching.   
"Do I know you?" He asked, arms crossed and brow tensed. He looked him up and down. "Ah, you're the one who was at Mung's clinic this morning!" He clapped his gloved hands together. "With that green child!" His expression suddenly changed. He was brighter and more amicable.   
Lard Nar leaned back nervously. "Ahh yes, and...you were there..."   
"And how was he?" The nobleman asked. "Nothing too serious, I hope."   
  
"Oh, you know...newborn checkup." Lard Nar noticed the teenager covering her face with embarrassment.  
"Parent couldn't come along?" Laksa raised a brow.   
"He was resting; he had a hard time." Lard Nar hoped to keep details vague.  
("He?" The cook exclaimed in confusion.)  
"What a shame; best of luck to him, then. And you took the child all the way to Mung just for him." He looked back at the teenager, who was pulling apart one of the pastries she was given. "That was quick. I hope to see you again; we don't get many Vortians sticking around. You and your friend." He flicked his fingers as he departed, returning to the table with the teenager.  
  
"Laksa, geez." She rubbed her eyes with her fingertips. "Why'd you have to make that weird?"  
So it _was_ him...  
"I need to tell Udon." He grabbed his little box of food and paid the cook. "Momo Larloch, you've finished eating already, you come back to the ship with me!" He pointed at the red-robed creature.   
"Very well, Captain." They rose from their seat and followed Lard Nar back out into the path to the Docking Tower.   
  
Laksa watched them, brow raised. "He knows Udon?" He muttered.   
"I thought that was her caravan."   
"People can have caravans that look the same, you know." Voon sipped on her drink.  
"No, that was hers..." Laksa stood up. "She IS here." He froze a moment, hands flat on the table. He pressed his hand to his head.  
"Gonna pretend she slipped past you again or...?" Voon set her cup down.   
"Someone in the Armada is going to catch on if I keep doing that." Laksa rubbed his forehead. "Even if it's not Blar or...those two idiots."   
He noticed Voon nodding off.   
"We've both had a long day." He touched her hand. "And you've had a distressing one." He passed monies to the cook and stacked their emptied baskets and cups together, before hauling Voon's arm over his shoulder.  
"But I'm not tired." She yawned.  
"Oh don't do that, I know that look." He pointed at the left side of her jaw going slack. "It's genetic, I swear." 

Lard Nar returned to the ship with the hope he'd find Udon in the kitchen where he last saw her. Instead, it was empty.   
Which meant...  
He knocked at the door to the family suit where she was staying with Talay. She quietly opened the door.   
"Yes?" Her voice was low. "I've just put Tomkha to bed. I'm about to get Talay something to eat. Something that's not those instant soup." Her face crumpled with disgust.   
"You can insult our favorite soup later, I saw Laksa again. I think the princess was with him."   
Udon's eyes widened, she pulled him into the room's hallway.   
"Is she alright?" She asked.   
"Well, she seemed mad at him for beating up a creepy guy she was getting too cozy with, but that went away fast."

Udon shook her head. "Yes, that sounds like Voon...she always had her head so stuffed with romance, she lost room for sense."   
She took a deep breath. "Well, where did you see them?"   
"That little fry shop at the tower entry." Lard Nar pointed his thumb in its direction.   
"Wouldn't surprise me, it's an easy place to get something coming in or out."   
  
Lard Nar raised a brow. "Would Laksa hurt her?" He asked.   
"It's not Laksa I'm afraid of. It's who he stands by. What he betrayed us to." She peeked into the bedroom where Tomkha was sound asleep. Donyx was on the bed Udon claimed. "Well...we're safe here at the least. We've got numbers among us thanks to you." She patted his arm.   
"Now...back to my task." She anxiously stepped out. Laksa followed her just a brief way.  
  
"If it helps, she Voon was mistaken for Laksa's daughter." Lard Nar hoped it would be some consolation.   
Udon only looked away sorrowfully.   
"Um...I'll...just..." He let her into the kitchen. "Bye..."  
He stood by himself a moment and chewed on the food he had carried with him.   
This was enough of an event for the day.

The Satillite's artificial daylight was ending, plunging it into pitch black darkness, illuminating the whole galaxy above and below them.   
He approached the crew as they were setting up their work for the next day. "Well, everyone. We best head in for the night." He called to them.   
"We were just getting ready!" Schloonktapoxis grinned.  
"Excellent! I'll see you all in the morning then." Lard Nar hurried back to his room, and just as he did, realized he had to find fresh bedding. "Ooh...one more thing..." He grumbled to himself.   
He'd need help carrying in a fresh blanket, at least.

When Laksa was sure Voon was asleep, he dropped onto the couch, a glass of sherry in his hand. He needed one after a day like this.   
And at the very least, it numbed the ache in his side for a little while.   
He took a breath and picked up a communications terminal. "Connect me to Communications Officer Cerel on the Massive." He reluctantly muttered.   
As he waited, he took a sip, and was greeted by an Irken with hot pink eyes. "Cerel to Laksa, ready to relay." She opened. "What message should I send?" She asked.  
"I've found the Prince on the Satellite of Huug." He said after a breath. "I don't know how I'll get him to you, but I know he's here. As well as his guardian, Udon."  
Cerel mused to herself. "Ah yes. Operation Puppet King is further underway. I'll let the Tallest know, sir." Cerel closed out, leaving Laksa with a black screen.   
He set his drink down and rubbed his head and eyes, holding his hip hard. He rose, taking apart his uniform at its buttons along his neck and side to find his night shirt.  
Anything to hide the compression wrap around his middle.   
  
Anything to hide his shame. 


	12. Emerging

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CONTENT WARNING: Trauma-induced panic attack

Talay was starting to get stiff. And bored. And the children were becoming far more than restless.  
Most of their contact had been with Udon and and Lard Nar. Or Mung when she came once a day to check on him and the children.   
  
On the second day of quarantining himself, Talay finally emerged from the bedroom to let the children have something more to do.  
Udon had been bringing in some things from her caravan - including a great deal of Tomkha's belongings that he had outgrown. Some of which were, to his delight, early reading books. Udon came out from her room in the morning with Donxy in one arm, holding Tomkha's hand, and found Talay settled on the sofa with the triplets, showing them one of the books and encouraging them to repeat the sounds.  
"Well, look at you!" She beamed.  
Talay waved lightly. "It was getting boring in there. And they need to get their muscles worked, like Mung said."   
  


"Did they walk on their own?" Udon sat on the couch next to him; Tomkha crawled him and leaned over her lap.   
"Hii!" He waved at the triplets.  
Acai and Goji leaned away apprehensively, but Holly pushed against Talay's arm to get closer. "Hi!" She echoed.   
"I have toys, wanna play?" Tomkha fell forward, almost right into her face.   
Holly's expression made Talay think of a computer experiencing a hard error. 'Toy', he realized, was an unfamiliar word to her.   
"Yes." She peeped anyway.  
  


She climbed over her sisters rather than crawl down onto the floor from where she was, following Tomkha to the other room.  
"Huh, I guess I didn't think about how a big brother would be helpful." He propped the other two up onto his lap. Within moments, Holly was tailing Tomkha as he carried an armful of soft toys. He dropped them unceremoniously on the floor and crouched down.   
"We're gonna play now, okay?" He whipped his head to the adults, with a pout in an attempt to look focused and serious. "OKAY!?"   
Udon laughed. "Of course, dear." She helped Acai to crawl into her lap.   
"Hi!" She patted at her face. "Hiii. Wasthis?" Her hands patted on Udon's goggles.   
  
"They help me see, dear. Your friend Captain Nar has them too." Udon carefully held both her hands to stop her from smudging the lenses.   
Acai blinked, pushing on her hands a little. "I can see." She bluntly responded. She pointed at Talay. "I see Daddy."   
"Oh, I see Acai." Talay tapped his finger on her nose, prompting a giggle. It went on a little bit longer than he thought it would, until she grabbed his hand.  
"Daddy, laugh with me."   
The sudden seriousness of her tone was enough to draw a chuckle from him. "Aw, sure sweetie."   
  
He hadn't noticed Holly quietly trying to stack some Vortian alphabet blocks together; the tower kept falling over every time it started to go above her head where she sat.   
Finally she jumped up and kicked one of the bricks. "Stupid stinkface!" She yelled at the block, nearly in tears.   
Talay thought his heart stopped for a moment in the shock.   
He had thought their time with Zim would have an affect on them. But he never considered it like this. He set the little book aside, put Goji in Udon's lap and came down to the floor with Holly.   
  
"Okay, come on, we don't need to be getting that mad at blocks." He picked her up and set her on his legs.   
"They're not staying!" Holly pouted.   
"Well, we just need to be more careful." Talay started stacking the blocks until they were a little higher than Holly had set them - then lifted her up so she could place another up on top of the tower. "Right in the middle."   
"Middle!" Holly dropped the block and sent the whole thing crashing down again. Her scowl looked a lot like Zim's. "Stop falling, puny falling thing!"   
"Who needs a half-Zim with you picking up his temper, huh?" Talay sighed. "It fell with its brick-self!" Holly hung slack in his hands. He set her back on the floor.  
"How about some dolls instead of bricks?" He picked up a patchwork stuffed animal.  
  
It was a Feldruk, an enormous beast from Vort, which resembled a beaked slug with thick plated scales, that ran on powerful hoofed legs. The toy, of course, was shaped to be cute and approachable; the true Feldruk had been domesticated as cavalry animals before Vortians started exploring space - born to strike fear into enemies.   
Holly grabbed it with of her both hands and a low "ooh", her temper quickly disappearing.   
"Uh she can have it because um...it's a baby toy and uh, I'm a big boy." Tomkha perched up on his knees.   
  
As Udon encouraged Tomkha to find something for the other two, Talay sat against the couch with Holly while she fumbled with the toy.  
"What name will you give it?" Talay realized it was unlikely for her to know that many names just as he finished speaking. And so was not surprised by Holly's response after a long pause and musing.  
"The Dib Beast." She swung her feet.  
"Well...of course you wouldn't know anything else." Talay sighed.   
He rested his head on the couch's seat when Goji started poking him with a different Vort animal. "Is Gir. He loves you." She peeped, laying the furry turtle-like Banem between his horns.  
"Oh, does he?" Yet again, Talay was not surprised. He desperately hoped Acai wasn't going to name her Rakelem (resembling a claw-footed Koolasuchus with a massive head crest) Zim.   
"Are you naming yours?" He asked. Acai squeezed her toy, blushing.   
"Nar."   
Talay felt like he could float. She'd only known Lard Nar for a few days.  
Though, perhaps it was because she got used to hearing Talay call him by that...

And in that moment, Lard Nar slipped into the room. He was surprised to find Talay on the floor of the living area.   
"Oh! You're out!" He grinned. "I was just about to ask about lunch. And...a connection issue we're having trouble with. There's a console that's not wanting to cooperate.   
"Nar!" Acai lifted her new toy above her head.   
"Hi, kiddo!" He waved to her.   
"It's Nar!" She stood up and tried to stretch it higher.   
"Did she..." Lard Nar whispered.  
Talay nodded, beaming. "Yep."   
  
"Well, little one, that's very special." Lard Nar cleared his throat.   
Talay could tell he was trying to keep his elation under wraps from the way he was smiling.   
Acai giggled and bobbed the toy over the couch's seat.   
  
Tomkha stood up. "I'm a big boy now, so I gave them my toys!" He threw back his shoulders in an effort to look taller. "Udie told me yesterday that...that where they were born, they didn't have any." He took a deep breath as he stuttered over his words. "So now, I'mmmm giving them my baby toys. Because they're babies."   
Lard Nar nodded, biting lips and continuing to try to maintain himself.   
"That's very nice!" He patted his head and looked back at Talay. "So, about that console...I took some pictures for you to see." Lard Nar got down on the floor with him, presenting a tablet he was carrying and showing him the problem.  
  
In the meantime, Holly scrambled from Talay's lap to play with her sisters, who were now both on the floor with Tomkha.  
He was trying to teach them the animal names and what noises they made.  
"No! It's Gir!" Goji yelled when told the animal was called Banem.   
"But he's also a Banem! And they go -- " Tomkha impersonated a braying noise as best as he could.   
"IT'S GIR!" Goji stamped her foot - and then curled to the ground bawling. With her leg being severely underdeveloped, the bone and muscle were more vulnerable.  
  
All three adults jumped to attention, but Udon was nearer and the first to pick her up. She handed her to Talay.  
Goji settled almost immediately, but gasped and whined as Udon checked her foot for damage.   
"Well, nothing feels broken." She sighed with relief. Then reached for Tomkha, who was cringing with embarrassment. "We can teach them about the animals soon, alright? Let's just play for now." She patted his hand when he came to her.   
  
Sure their sister was unharmed, Holly and Acai started exploring the other toys, and Tomkha returned to trying to teach them a few games games that were leagues out of their capacity for understanding. Udon hurried to keep another incident from happening, allowing Talay room to work with Lard Nar.   
"See, you need to take the top and left off, then dissolve the glue" Talay had taken the tablet's pen and made marks on the pictures.  
"It's a good thing you got a lot of washers, because these need to be replaced completely...the rust is probably interfering with the other metals..." He mused.   
"That's what I thought." Lard Nar mused.   
  
They went on for a few more minutes, until Talay found the main issue with the console in the third image.  
"Uh yeah, those Naghoo remains might have something to do with it." He circled an oblong shape tangled in some wires.   
"Ew! How did we not...?" Lard Nar shuddered. "It's been in there this whole--ugh!" He shut the tablet off. "Well. Better let the others know. You're sure you don't want to lend a hand yet?" He asked.  
Talay rubbed his chin. "I..." He looked down at Goji. She had her face buried in his fur. "I am going to need a minute."   
He watched Udon with the other two and Tomkha; she was holding a sleeping Donyx in her lap.  
"Of course." Lard Nar nodded. "Always room later. But we are about to figure out a meal. We'd be happy for you to join us soon." He patted Talay's shoulder, then touched his hand on Goji's head.   
"You kids have fun." He waved to the other two as they played with a shape sorter cube.  
"Bye bye!" Acai copied him.   
  


Laksa hadn't seen much of the new Vortian since the evening at the food stand. Nor of Udon. But the conglomerate ship had not left. From what he did see of the crew, there was work being done, judging from the amount of machinery being picked up from the upper levels of the Market Tower.   
He didn't go up there often. The smell of smoke was almost suffocating.   
From what he'd gathered from vendors that came down to the lower sections for meals, there were continuous problems with lights and console functions.   
  
Plus there was the matter of Blar's "quarry". Weeks before, Blar had insisted on Laksa's help to find him, since as far as he knew, the Prince had seemingly vanished from the universe. Laksa had no interest in it, but it was something to do besides float aimlessly about hoping for some kind of extra assignment.   
It kept Voon occupied too.   
Voon who, after ranting feverishly about a romance novel not going like she'd hoped ("Why would Serem choose Burach over Leright!? He's a total milksop!"), collapsed on the couch to fume and ultimately ended up dozing off. 

As Laksa laid a throw blanket over her, he heard a knock at the caravan door. He pulled it open, finding the disguised Blar and LUCY.  
"And what brings you back?" Laksa sighed.   
"I've found something about that Vortian. The one who's crew has been up and down the Market Tower to the Mechanics." Blar stepped in, shedding his disguise.   
Laksa sighed. "And what about him?"   
  
"He's...a trouble maker. Take a look at this communication feed from The Massive." Blar procured a disk with the Irken insignia emblazoned on it.   
"What about it?" Laksa took a seat in an armchair next to the couch. "And mind the volume. The princess is asleep." He gestured to Voon.   
"Whatever." Blar ground his oversized jaw and pushed the disk into a slot beneath a viewing screen.   
Laksa recognized the date as the point in which the Massive lost control and flew through a sun, while being chased by an old Vort ship. 

The screen revealed a display of silhouetted figures surrounding a figure with horns, all of them with glowing yellow eyes.   
Laksa recognized the voice of Almighty Tallest Red demanding identification.   
The center shadow's voice was distorted. "We are the Resisty! We have come to strike —"   
Laksa raised a brow at Blar. "You've come all this way to show me a resistance movement with a terrible name?" He asked.   
Blar pointed quietly as Tallest Purple repeated the sentiment about the name.

The shadows disappeared as the lights changed. The tall silhouettes were nothing more than cardboard cutouts.  
And the leader, sitting in a chair with a robotic arm, was instantly recognizable.  
"See, I told you it was stupid! Why do I keep listening to you?!" Lard Nar shouted in exasperation.  
"Wait. I met that Vortian!" Laksa gasped. "Two days ago! He had that green baby!" He pointed. "What's he doing here?! And what happened to his original ship!?" He bit his lip with a frustrated squeak, seeing Voon lift her head a little.   
"Washappinin?" She mumbled.   
  
"Don't worry about it right now, dear." Laksa motioned his hand for her to lay back down.  
Voon focused on the screen. "Isn't that the guy you had that awkward conversation with?" She asked.  
"It was not awkward." Laksa looked away.   
"That Vortian means trouble. He could be trying to start something here. Or making a stop where he _will_ cause trouble" Blar pointed at the screen, where the transmission recording was continuing to run. "So far he's the only force that's managed to do any damage to our flag ship!"   
  
"I'm quite sure they're not the ones that infected the power core. He took a chance when he got lucky." Laksa crossed one leg over the other.  
"And he got lucky being able to fly that bucket all the way out here." Blar warned. "Don't forget your assignments. Stop Vortian uprisings."  
He snapped his fingers in front of Voon's face to make sure she was asleep again. When she didn't make a motion to suggest she noticed, Blar pointed to her. "And collect both of the remaining Royals."  
He stopped the transmission recording and recovered the disk. "And if you don't do anything about the rebel leader." He pointed at LUCY. "We will." 

Laksa rose from his seat. "And what about your assignment? I don't see that going so well for you." He retorted.   
Blar's face scrunched. "You know how he slips away!"   
"Yes. And so do rebels. And princes with their protectors. We all do our best." Laksa walked to the door and opened it. "Thank you for letting me know what we're up against. But I can take it from here." He extended his hand out the doorway.   
Blar's disguise came back on - Laksa noticed that he had marginally fixed the segments on the horns.  
"I'll be back if there's any changes." Blar pointed at him, LUCY not far behind, disguised as a common Vortian pet.  
  
As soon as he was out the door, Laksa shut it and returned to his seat. He covered his eyes with a groan.  
Rebels. Rebels that would only complicate everything.  
And now, the prince was secure with them. And so was Udon.  
  
  
  
  
Enough was enough.   
Talay started to think the children were getting restless, especially with Tomkha continuing in his struggle to teach them the Vort animals, now holding up picture books and fervently yelling their names.  
"This! Is a Feldruk! You RIDE THEM!" He smacked a picture of a Vortian atop one of the creatures.  
"It's THE DIB BEAST!" Holly screamed back, sprawled on the floor.   
  
Acai had hidden herself in Talay's waist, while Goji had been awakened and was now covering her horn stubs in hopes of blocking out the noise.   
"Okay!" Talay stood up, lifting Goji with him and bringing up Acai by the hand. "Let's go outside now." He approached Holly and encouraged her to sit up.   
"You're cranky because your hungry." He sighed. "Let's get something to eat."   
Holly whined as she got to her feet, but hobbled behind as he headed for the door.   
  
"Well. I suppose that's one way to get them out." Udon mused, patting a very confused Tomkha on the back.   
"I just wanted to teach herrrr." He blubbered.  
"She'll learn on her own." Udon assured him.

Talay felt like his whole body was gelatinous as he stepped out into the hall. He carried Goji, thinking she wouldn't want to walk after straining her leg so hard earlier. She was happy for the ride, hanging by his neck and jabbering nonsense. He pretended to understand what she was saying as he veered into the kitchen.  
  
Udon was already there, helping a few of the crew to assemble lunch.  
Schloonktapooxis was the first to notice his arrival. “Hey! Look who’s up!”  
Talay waved to them. "Hi...all of you people I don't know." He focused on Schloonktapooxis specifically. He didn't recognize his species at all.   
G'raggo and a few of the other ex-prisoners hurried around to him. "Good to see you!" He flashed a toothy grin.   
"Kids were starting to get cabin fever." Talay looked at a still-pouting Holly. Acai clutched Talay's leg, startled by the sudden number of strangers around.  
Goji, however, was more awed. She reached out at G'raggo. "Big!" She gawked wondrously.   
  
"Oh yeah. I'm big." G'raggo lifted her by the middle with one hand. "I'm also friends with your dad."   
Goji thumped on his wrist and wiggled her legs. "Daddy friend." She hummed.   
G'raggo laughed and passed her back. Goji seemed completely unfazed by being held like she was. In fact, she had a silly little puckering smile.  
  
Udon arrived in the kitchen now, with Donyx and Tomkha.   
Tomkha immediately bolted for the former prisoners, asking if there were any 'props' that were ready.   
Talay sat down as he was handed some bowls and utensils, watching in confusion.   
"What...is going on?" He asked Udon.  
"Oh, Tomkha makes little dramas to entertain everyone while they cook." Udon explained while she started mixing a bottle for Donyx.   
"Dramas?" Talay helped Acai and Holly into his lap, leaning into the backrest of the kitchen chair.   
"Just watch." Udon pinched a shallow bowl in the hand she held Donyx with while shaking the bottle - which she had mixed a small amount of sugar water into.   
  
Talay had never really noticed how he was being managed, until she unscrewed the rubber nipple from the bottle and poured the contents into the little bowl.   
"Huh." Talay watched in bewilderment as Donyx happily sipped from the rim of the bowl. "Well, I guess that settles it."  
"My best guess is he doesn't like anything at the back of his mouth." Udon shrugged.  
Talay was about to suggest the possibility of a tongue tie. But not only would Mung have noticed it - or even Udon - Tomkha had begun his "drama". 

Goji and Holly watched while Acai tested the contents of the bottle. She made a face. "Blech. No." She pushed it back to Udon.  
"Yes, it's sweet, isn't it?" Udon chuckled as Acai pushed aside an unbuttoned half of Talay's shirt.  
"Goodbye!" Acai waved at her before going under.   
  
Lard Nar entered the kitchen, first hearing the prince's melodrama - a normal occurrence now. Udon was in her usual place with Donyx and his little bowl.  
He gasped with delight seeing Talay next to her, watching the improvised show. Two were enthralled with the drama - one was flattened against his belly.   
"Talay!" He hurried with a low whisper. "You're out!" He grasped his arm.   
"Yeah...kids were done in there." Talay whispered. "Um...is this a continuing story?" He pointed at Tomkha as he waved about a peeler in front of a measuring spoon.   
"IT! Is your! DESTINY!" He brought his voice to a low croak, imitating an old man. "NO! Not MY destiny!" He tilted back the measuring spoon dramatically.   
"Ah yes, the Adventures of Captain Jeremy. His ex Shaun was a space pirate that died in the...first episode, I guess. That's what G'raggo told me, anyway. Don't know what's up with the measuring spoon. Captain Jeremy is a pickle fork." Lard Nar whispered.   
  
"Uh huuuh. So what's this, then?" Talay gestured to the whole event  
"I have...no idea. I don't know who that peeler is." Lard Nar scratched his chin.  
"Mister Magic." Udon nodded, setting the bowl aside and bringing Donyx to her covered shoulder. She patted his back carefully.  
"Of course it's a wizard." Lard Nar sighed. "I'm...going to help slice vegetables, then." He patted Talay on the shoulder. "You have fun here."   
He dipped out and around Tomkha to join a few of his crew. The floating brain creature, the Shloogorgh that was barely able to sit upright without chocking on her own--  
Talay shuddered and focused back on Tomkha's act, until Acai emerged, yawning and rubbing her mouth. She blinked sleepily, but perked a little seeing her sisters invested in something. She got off his lap and stood with them at the edge of the chair.   
  
With the weight off, Talay fixed a few of the bottom snaps of his shirt.   
He looked at Udon as she held Donyx, who had fallen asleep after being wrapped up in a little blanket.  
As he had every time the hybrid was close, he tried to focus on his face without _remembering_. 

_The slab, the straps, the drill. _  
_The tube. _  
_The slats in the tube. The injector. _  
_Zim pulling off a glove to draw his own blood.  
The tube's explosion.   
The baby in a puddle of goo. When it was only "just" a baby. _  
_Zim's complete lack of a plan for what to do with the hybrid after it was created. _  
  
_What was his plan???_

He took a breath, forcing himself to return to the present. But it did remind him.   
"Udon...we need to replace my wrapping." He rubbed the old material that was wrapped around his horn.   
She nodded. "Of course." She carefully stood, sure not to wake up Donyx, and departed to collect the supplies.   
Talay pressed his elbow into the arm rest and rested his chin on his hand. He watched Tomkha's little performance, steadily interested in the story he seemed to be telling.  
"Noo, you have no proof!" The "measuring spoon" shouted.   
"It is the truth!" A "pickle fork" retorted. "Pirate Captain Shaun was your brother!"  
G'raggo gasped quietly. "But Shaun was a cheese knife."   
Talay smirked slightly. He helped Goji into his lap when she started to sink down. She nuzzled her cheek under his neck.  
He didn't know why he was so eager to hide in the first place.

There was a sudden loud, whirring noise.  
It tore through the air, interrupting Tomkha's performance.  
_Drill! _  
Talay shoved back into his seat in alarm with a shriek that even he was startled by.  
Just as it was about to tip over, G'raggo was able to bolt and catch it before it completely fell over. He caught Holly in his hand; she had fallen off the chair and almost hit the floor.   
Lard Nar rushed to him once everything was balanced back, and Talay was gathering up his wailing children. He brought his legs up on the seat, curling around them protectively. He trembled in terror.   
Everything in the kitchen came to a stop, startled by the sudden outburst.  
  
"Um...is he okay?" Schloonktapooxis drifted backwards anxiously.  
"Talay. Talay?" Lard Nar touched his cheek. He didn't expect to be struck in the face - and when he was, he stumbled backwards. "Woah!"   
In that moment, Talay became alert again.   
"Oh no, Nar..." He reached out. "Sorry..." His voice cracked. "I'm sorry."   
Lard Nar returned to his side. This time as he reached out, Talay pressed his cheek in and grasped his wrist.   
"I don't know what happened..." He swallowed. "It reminded me of..." He grasped his wrapped horn, words faltering. 

The noise echoed in his mind.

_Drill. Drill. Drill. Drill._

"Talay, it was just a blender."

_Can't move. Can't get away.  
  
_"Talay, you're safe, it was only a blender."  
_  
Drill!_

He huddled around the still-distressed children, remembering the restraint, even as he moved as much as he could without separating from them.   
"Talay." Lard Nar held each side of his face and wiped his welling eyes with his thumbs. It didn't take much to realize what was upsetting him.   
"You should go back to your cabin." He gingerly bumped his forehead to Talay's. "Come on." He grasped his shoulders and gave G'raggo space to pick up the whole family. 

Talay was so focused and keeping his children close that he blanked out, not realizing that he was put back in his bed.  
Lard Nar stayed behind with him, having successfully calmed the children. They were given their new toys and had gone to sleep.  
Talay blinked until he grounded himself and realized he was staring up at the gray, void-like ceiling when he did.   
  
_No escape._

He rolled onto his side and threw his arms around Lard Nar's waist with a heavy sob.   
Lard Nar could only lean over him gently and rub his head. "There, there." He sighed, looking over as Udon started to step in with the medical kit Mung had left them.   
Without a word, she laid it on the bed and sat on the side of the bed.   
  
It was in the time of waiting for Talay to come away, and comforting him until he did, that Lard Nar suddenly realized that the amount of help he could contribute would be severely reduced. If the noise of a blender was enough to make him panic like this...what would happen once he came near another drill?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He thought he was better! And then he wasn't!


	13. Departure

Just one last thing. One last thing before the most pressing repairs could be finished.   
It probably was for the best that Talay never went to the top of the Market Tower with him. He hadn't returned to the kitchen since the incident with the blender and refused to speak of it. He had, however, been given the blueprints that made several of the ships they assembled together, and took it upon himself to match them together.   
There was only one problem - they didn't have blueprints for the Serissh canons that flanked the sides of the ship - and they were inoperable for the time anyway.  
There was only one canon below that worked, but it only had a few charges before it had to power down to recover energy.

That meant travelling to Serissh in hopes that someone had blueprints sitting around.  
"We'd have to talk to mechanics and go from there." Talay groused as he made copies of the sections they had so he'd inevitably put them together.   
"I don't know how you put this thing together without blueprints and survived space, but here we are!" Talay leaned pushed back into his seat, his back getting sore from leaning over the blueprints. He was holding Acai and Goji, both of whom were taking a midday nap.  
"So many tests...so much time stuck on a junkyard asteroid." Lard Nar shuddered at the memory of it. He was letting Holly play with an empty pen barrel.  
"It's where we picked up Lorg Jojo." He referred to the pinkish prismatic living quartz that was installing some new power supply into the ship's computer.   
"Yeah?" Talay watched them for a moment.   
"Yep. Picked up them and a bunch of others on Foodcourtia. They were quite helpful in getting life support functioning on the Junk Asteroid." 

"Wait..why was their on Foodcourtia if Crystals don't eat organic material?" Talay realized.   
He saw Lorg Jojo rotate their head completely backwards, snicker mischievously, then turn back toward their work.  
He cleared his throat awkwardly, seeing Schoonktapooxis hover into the . "Hey! Doc's here!" He yelled at Talay.  
Talay set Acai on the floor so she could toddle to the door; Holly was practically running. Goji stayed hanging from Talay's neck as he followed the other two.   
  


He found Doctor Mung with Udon in the sitting area of his cabin. They were disinfecting several surfaces.   
"Oh, what's the party?" Talay asked, setting each of the triplets and giving them their dolls from Tomkha - though Holly was occupying herself with a jigsaw puzzle that Lard Nar had bartered for.   
"We're setting up to fill the hole, like we discussed yesterday." Mung reminded him.   
"Oh..." Talay dropped onto the sofa. "That's...okay." He cleared his throat.   
"Don't be so nervous, I'm going to numb it." Mung dug into her bag.   
"Ah yeah, another visit from our old friend, Mister Local Anesthesia." Talay remembered the first injection at the beginning of the week.   
  
"At least you're not bleeding this time." Mung said as she prepared the anesthetic. "Makes things easier for me."   
Talay helped Goji onto his lap when she started gibbering for his attention. "Hey, maybe you can help Daddy get fixed up." He bobbed her.  
Goji bent backwards to watch Mung approach with the anesthetic. "Whaddisthat?" She pointed.   
  
"This stops it from hurting when I fix your Daddy." Mung explained.  
"Why?"   
"Because it hurts when the fill goes in."  
"Why?"  
"Because it's sensitive inside the horn."  
"Why?"   
"Because..." Mung started to falter; the internal anatomy and tightly woven tube of nerves inside the horn would be too tricky to describe to a child.   
  
Udon sat on the couch with them, just as Lard Nar was entering, catching the very end of Goji's line of "whys" as they continued along.   
"Ah, you haven't started yet." He got on the other side of the couch. "I figured I'd be here; I was there for the start of this process, might as well see it through to the end."  
Talay cleared his throat. "So, uh...how's this supposed to work?" He asked. "It's hollow, isn't it?"   
  
"Well...there's some soft tissue, but for that to heal properly, the shell needs to be covered." She showed him what he thought was a pill sheet.  
"I'm going to shave down one of these keratin disks down to size and give it an adhesive that will fuse it to the original shell. Then once it's in, I'm going to file it even."  
"And...how you going to do that?" Talay was already shrinking back at the idea of the process.   
"I'm going to use an electric file." Mung presented a tool similar to an electric manicure drill file.  
  
Talay paled immediately. "Uhhh..." He swallowed. "You sure you can't...do it manually?" He pushed it away with a finger.   
"I couldn't handle the sound of a blender the other day, it reminded me of the...incident." He held his horn defensively.   
"Oh." Mung looked at Lard Nar and Udon.   
"I probably should have told you." Udon started. "But, it was more Talay's business than mine."   
Mung nodded. "Of course. I had considered that situation. I promise it's much quieter than a blender." She offered it to him to hold.   
Talay reached hesitantly. "I'll have to pick up a real one some day, y'know?" He touched the handle and looked closely at the rounded file.   
  
There wasn't a tube through the middle of a drill bit. He forced himself to think of that.   
It wasn't even going to go through.   
Since it was battery operated...he slowly pushed the trigger. It whirred to life. Mung was right that it was quieter than a blender - or Zim's drill.  
It still startled him. Just a small jump. And he passed it back to her.  
"Well, it's not going to be pleasant. But it has to be done." He held Goji closer, as she was the first contact of comfort he had.  
"Daddy!" She pushed back a little. "I'm not squish now!"   
  
"Let's just get this over with." Talay took a long breath, giving Goji space to wiggle after realizing how much he had compressed her.   
He pressed against the back of the couch for the anesthetic, a process that was over quickly.   
As they waited for the numbing to set in, Mung started filing down one of the keratin disks.  
Lard Nar started holding both of Talay's shoulders for assurance.  
Udon grasped his hand.  
Holly started asking Mung a line of questions about what she was doing.   
Acai had found Tomkha and played with him in the other room.   
  
When it was down to the size she marked, Mung returned with the disk.  
"Here we go..." She prepared the adhesive on a thin medical stick and ran it over the apple seed-sized hole in his horn that was now exposed with the bandage off.   
"We're all lucky it's not between segments." She observed as she gently set the disk in, and pressed a UV light over the whole section. "Then we'd be in a lot more trouble."  
"Well great, now you tell me it could have been worse." Talay rolled his eyes. "How long are you going to hold that thing there?" He asked.   
"Just about a minute, until it's completely hard." Mung gently felt for pressure. "Which it isn't yet."   
  
"Good." Talay bobbed his leg anxiously.   
Goji was watching with her chin pressed hard in the middle of his chest.   
"Wassis?" She pointed.   
Mung sighed heavily. "Well, at least they're eager to learn, eh?" She patted Talay's arm and switched off the UV. "Let's get this filed now, and I'll be out of your hair." She picked up the file.   
  
"Ohhh jeez." Talay cringed back. "Yeah. Let's go." He patted around for something to grasp and fell on Lard Nar's wrist. He cradled Goji under his neck with his other arm.   
"You're fully numb now, you won't feel a thing." Mung switched the file on.  
"It's not the feeling I'm worried about." Talay gulped. He closed his eyes when the file came against his horn.  
As promised, he didn't feel anything but a slight buzz - and it was the sound of the buzz that sent his heart racing in panic.   
He squeezed Lard Nar's hand until he felt him tug uncomfortably.   
"Talay, ah, that's too tight." Lard Nar grasped his shoulder with his other hand. "Just give it another moment, alright?"  
  
The file switched off and Mung backed away a little bit for Talay to straighten himself out. He hand went straight to his horn. Where he once was able to feel the indention of a hole, there was now a filling that, perhaps, was too smooth.   
"Feels like you put plastic in there." He grumbled.   
"It will level out with the rest in time." Mung assured him. "Now. The children." She watched Holly climb into his lap.   
"Daddy's fixed." Holly pointed.   
"They're going to continue to need medical attention." She noted Goji's legs. "And I know none of you can stay here much longer."   
  
"We'll...probably find a medic somewhere." Talay sighed.   
"I'll manage things." Udon touched his shoulder. "And I'll keep you updated." She nodded at Mung.   
"Very well then." She started putting her supplies back in her bag.   
Acai toddled out, trying to chase Tomkha as he scurried into the living area.   
"Where we goin?" He dropped on Talay's leg.  
  
"A nice little planet called Serrish." Talay patted his head.   
"Sirrsh." Acai tried to parrot.   
"Yep. Maybe we'll have some grass for you to walk on. Wouldn't that be nice?" He picked her up and put her on his lap with the others.  
"Uh." Acai stared out blankly as she tried to understand. "Yeh." She nodded.   
  
"Well. I hope our paths cross again." Mung lifted her bag and extended her hand to Talay. "I hope we meet again."   
He grasped her hand firmly. "Yeah, of course."   
She made up the most uncomfortable parts of the week, he wasn't thrilled by the prospect of seeing her after this departure.   
"Let's hope I'm not a patient next time."   
Mung smiled a moment as if he were joking, but it dropped by the seriousness of Talay's tone; she could have sworn he even lowered his voice a little bit.

"Yes. Of course." She took her bag and departed.   
When she was gone, Talay slumped and then kicked his legs up to recline on the couch. "Okay, that's over with." He breathed out.   
"It's not over until we're sure the girls have their strength back." Udon dropped into the armchair beside him.   
"Goji's keeping her balance." Talay watched her stand up from where she was sitting and hobble to a foam toy, while carrying her new doll behind her. "They're going to be alright. That and they've got their shots."   
  
Talay clenched his teeth, remembering the day Mung gave them vaccinations. "As hellish as that hour was."  
Udon nodded. "Yes, I remember." She got up again, hearing Donyx cry from her room, and disappeared to collect him.   
It took Talay a moment to even be fully aware of the disturbance. "Aw. Jeez." He covered his face when she came out with him.   
He watched her as she turned on a water kettle so she could warm a bottle for Donyx. He still couldn't fathom the idea of trying to put him on his chest again.  
And the idea of trying to nurse him again...especially with that egg tooth still in place?   
If there was an opposite of letting down...  
Udon returned to her seat with the hybrid, bobbing him and gently hushing him in hopes of calming him.   
Talay uncomfortably got upright. "I'm...going to see what's happening on the bridge." He cleared his throat. As he started to leave, Acai tailed after him. He picked her up and carried her out the door with him.   
"Going together, then." He sighed. 

Udon watched; Donyx hadn't settled despite her efforts. It was unlikely that he even would until he smelled the milk in the little bowl.  
The other two of the triplets hadn't noticed their father departed until the door shut. They jumped up and scrambled for the door, calling after him frantically.   
After a moment, he returned, opening it just enough for them to hop through the door and follow him to the bridge.  
"Hey there, I thought you were playing." She heard him coo at them.   
The door was closed before the response.   
And the kettle on the kitchenette mini stove whistled.   
  


  
On entering the bridge, Talay could hear the familiar sound of Lard Nar in a panic.   
"Why didn't anyone tell me there were pirates!? Pirates on the path to Serissh, are you kidding me!?" He was pacing frantically in front of the view screen.  
"Idunno." Spleenk shrugged.   
"We don't even have operational canons, what are we supposed to do if they come after us!?" Lard Nar doubled over.  
"Uh...fight 'em!" Schloonktapooxis suggested.   
"I mean, what are we supposed to do before they have a chance to board us?!" Lard Nar reiterated with a snarl.  
  
"What's this about pirates on the path to Serissh?!" Talay stepped down the stairs to the bridge.  
"Yeah, apparently a supply ship was attacked this morning. It was coming from our route." Lard Nar crossed his arms.   
Talay slowly dropped onto his seat. "Ohh no." He pulled Goji and Acai close. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire, huh, kids?" 

  
"There's always the chance they would have moved on." Ixane suggested.   
"Or won't attack us because we're a floating scrap heap." Momo Larloch rasped. "We'll appear to not have anything valuable."   
"Yes, I suppose..." Lard Nar sighed.  
"Better than having the last Vort ship. That alone would be something of value." One of the Arachos called out.   
  
Talay listened nervously, holding the children closer.  
"Do you have any weapons inside the ship?" He asked.  
"Of course we do." Lard Nar tutted. "We'd be utter fools to not be completely defenseless."  
"Then we need to be ready with those." Talay sighed. "Ready for anything. Even if we have to use up the other canon's charges."   
  
Lard Nar took a long, restrained breath. "Fine! Fine." He grumbled. "I need to make sure everyone's on the ship." Lard Nar passed Talay on the steps as he went up.   
Talay could still see him shaking with nervousness as he passed into another section of the ship. He awkwardly looked at the rest of the crew.   
"Soo...hi." He waved. "I don't think any of us have been properly acquainted."

"Naw, we haven't! You've been hiding!" Schloonktapooxis hovered around to him. "But now we got LOTS OF TIME!"   
The triplets were really paying attention to the array of new faces and forms around them, and anxiously huddled closer.  
"Ah...yeah. This is going to be an adjustment for them." Talay realized. "They're not used to much else besides Irkens and Vortians. And a SIR unit. And...some kind of...floating animal that I helped Zim make?" Talay wasn't entirely sure how to describe MiniMoose.  
"Well...they haven't quite had the introduction to the universe like I wanted them to." He rubbed them on the head. "But...better late than never." 

If there was one thing worse than pirates causing commotion on a whole quadrant of space, it was Blar making wild assumptions.  
"Our menace is probably in league with them!" Blar ranted in front of Laksa, who had been enjoying his breakfast until he burst in with the news.   
"There's lots of pirates." Laksa sipped his tea. "As far as I've noticed, he's operating alone."  
"Then he'd be a petty thief!" Blar slammed a fist on the dining bench. "Not that it's any better." He huffed.  
Laksa shoved his hand off with a scowl. "I'll ask you to keep your temper in my home."   
Blar looked around the caravan and scoffed slightly.  
Laksa crossed his arms indignantly.  
  
"Besides, I can't go chasing after Pirates if I know exactly where Prince Tomkha is." Laksa reminded Blar.   
"And how do you intend to get a hold of the brat? I heard some of that ship's crew. The're headed for Serrish. Which is through the quadrant the pirates are in." Blar noted.   
"Serrish?" Laksa rubbed his chin. "Odd place for a stop."   
"Then take advantage of it." Blar snapped his fingers. "We'll get a hold of my pirate and you'll carry on to capture the prince."  
Laksa sighed, looking away. "My history with Serrish is not a happy one. Going back --"  
"You know the consequences if you refuse." Blar interrupted, his gaze going to LUCY. Laksa could have sworn it might have powered down, until it buzzed its head with energy.   
"Goodnight." It warned.   
  
"I don't even have a place to keep your pirate." Laksa groaned.  
"You have a brig, don't you?" Blar pointed at a door on the other side of the kitchen.   
"That's the bathroom." Laksa groaned.   
"The what?" Blar took a moment to think, and shivered with disgust. "I forgot how you worked." 

Voon, at that moment, stepped out wearing a thick bathrobe and a towel over her horns. She staggered backwards back into the bathroom with a shriek and half closed the door in hiding.  
"Why's HE here!?" she demanded, pointing at Blar.   
"He had some important information to pass along." Laksa informed her. "We're going to Serrish."  
"Aw, but Serrish is boring!" Voon moaned.   
"It might be boring, but it's where the Prince is headed, whether either of us like it or not." Laksa gazed down at LUCY, who had gone motionless again.   
  
"Why do you even need Tomkha?" Voon peeked out the door a little to speak to Blar. "His title doesn't mean anything to him and I'm older."   
"We need you both. Surely your people would be more at ease if they knew both of their royal children were safe?" Blar suggested.   
"Whatever." Voon sighed and closed the door, rolling her eyes.   
Laksa cleared his throat. "We need to wait for our time to leave. You should return to your Soup Cruiser."   
  
Blar nodded. "I'll watch for you. And keep your tail on the pirates, since you don't have weapons outside the ship." He shook his head in the middle of switching his disguise on. "Fool."   
LUCY followed him to the door, practically floating across the floor and down into the Docking Tower.   
Voon crept out when they were gone and then hurried up the stairs to the loft floor.   
Laksa slumped back with an exasperated groan, just forgetting that the dining bench had stools instead of chairs - and nearly fell backwards out of his seat.  
He caught himself with an alarmed yelp, and opted instead to lean over to grumble his frustrations.

Talay realized that, aside from the day they were kidnapped by Zim, his children had never watched space pass them by. They never had a wide window to gaze out into the universe.   
Even now, they were watching out from the massive viewing screen window, chattering to one another as they watched the hive of activity on the Market Tower.  
He realized they might not have even been aware that they had been moved across the universe from where they had been kept. Or where they had been born.  
It was likely they would have trouble comprehending the endless expanse of space.   
  
Lard Nar emerged from his crew checks, accompanied by Iko-Ido-Ibo and another scientist that Talay recognized from Vort Research Station 9. The floppy-eared, ball-armed Lamime, whose kind had also once been allies with the Vortians.   
"Hey, Turgh!" Talay waved at him.  
Turgh, coming from a species that had a vastly different throat and nasal structure than the others, warbled and squawked in excitement to see him out.  
"Yeah, good to see you too." He nodded.  
Turgh was approached by Octilius Primilius, and the two started engaging in conversation, both speaking the same language.  
  
"Well, while they're making friends..." Lard Nar plopped into his seat. "Time to start getting things ready for takeoff."   
Talay hopped off the stairs and hurried to take them from the window. "Come on. You don't want to be too close when we launch." He got all three gathered up in his arms and found a seat at the edge of the bridge.   
It would be a few more minutes before the ship launched. So while Lard Nar and the crew made their preparations, Talay distracted the children with Vortian nursery rhymes and songs. Before he could reach the point of getting them to follow along on _Little Feldruk Field_, Talay felt a familiar rumble beneath the ship as its flight functions roared to life and start to lift from its paddock.   
Talay gazed out the window from his seat, at the Market Tower he had missed out on exploring for himself while he convalesced.   
"Another time, maybe." He sighed.  
  
The ship lifted up past the large ship airlock shield. It hovered in wait for the exit to open.   
Talay let the children cling to him as they observed their lift into space.  
Until at last...the ship rushed forward into the abyss of stars.   


"Okay, okay, you're safe." Talay brought his legs up into the seat so the children could be surrounded in a huddle when they cried out in alarm.   
"Well, that was inevitable." He sighed, noticing all the attention that was being drawn by the bridge crew.  
He stood up with them, hauling two up over his shoulders and one under his chin. "I'll give them...maybe three more take offs to adjust." He estimated.  
"Um...alright." Lard Nar waved. "See you in a bit?"   
"Yeah, sure." Talay awkwardly agreed as hauled his litter back to their room.  
  
He found that Udon and Tomkha were watching tHe he launch from the cabin window.   
"Oh. Well, could have thought of that." Talay groaned. It would have been far less alarming than being on the bridge.   
Udon came to help him carry Holly into the bedroom, while Tomkha tailed behind her.   
"It's about time for their nap anyway." Talay laid Goji and Acai on the bed and crawled up with them, taking Holly from Udon.   
"Haa, babies gotta nap." Tomkha popped onto the bed with them.   
"Hey, you take naps too." Talay teased as he opened the front of the new jumpsuit he was starting to wear. He pushed his legs under the blankets and settled back, giving them space to nurse.   
  
"Alright, Tomkha." Udon chuckled, picking him up from under the arms. "Let's give them some space."   
"I wanna stay though." Tomkha whined.   
"He can nap with us if he wants." Talay reached out. "It'll be a bit crowded, though."   
Udon looked down at Tomkha as he tried to widen his eyes pleadingly, swinging his legs while he was up in the air.   
"Well, alright. Just be gentle with the little ones." She set him back on the bed where he came from.   
"I double promise! With little fingers!" Tomkha saluted, as if he thought that was a way to make the promise, and flopped face-down on the pillow like a plank.   
"...Sweet dreams then, kiddo." Talay choked back a laugh. "Ah, I think we'll be good here." He assured Udon. "At least you'd just have Donyx."   
  
He didn't see her expression as he closed his eyes and laid back to doze.   
Udon switched the light out and went to collect the hybrid from the little basket he was sleeping in.  
"Well...at least your dad has a more fair reason than my brother." She muttered to him, and settled on the couch. "He'll find some way. I know it." She gently tapped his nose, eliciting a little squeak from him.

They were already far ahead. They had the more powerful ship, even if it was literally a hunk of junk.  
There was no telling where on Serrish they would land. Or how long they would be there.   
Laksa could think of at least five entry ports as his caravan blasted through the ether.   
Not to mention the pirates...  
His caravan might have been unsuspecting, but if they found a nobleman and a lost princess inside...surely they'd be fantastic hostages.  
  
But now was not the time to worry. The only worry was staying on the trail. Staying as close as he could without drawing attention.  
And not so far that Blar would throw a fit if he knew how far he was drifting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I'm rushing through a lot of story, but I just kinda want to get this first section of story over with first.


	14. Bluffs and Distraction

The ship was out for two days. They drifted far from the the gas planet Hüüg, its icy moon Huug, and its bustling satellite. It was some distance to the next planet in the system.   
Serrish.  
A world that nearly rivaled Vort in its engineering, but did not blossom with the aid of the Irkens under Almighty Tallest Miyuki.   
Serrish were closer to Hoog, bathed in heat and light in a way that was uncomfortable to many refugees of the Irken Empire. Hence the popularity of the Satellite of Huug.  
Or, why Vort was more favored by Miyuki.   
  
Lard Nar could see the planet as a soft blue glimmer from far away, and so far, had not had a whisper of trouble from the pirates that had been such a concern.   
The ship was close enough now that he could probably hail the planet for a mechanic station.  
But the ship...did not have a name. What kind of fool would if he hailed the planet without a name.   
  
"Right!" He stood up, shouting to his crew as they busied themselves around the bridge, all of them enjoying drinks with popping bubbles that G'raggo had made earlier. "We're naming the ship before it arrives!"  
G'raggo and some of the other prisoners were struggling to teach Spleenk, Schloonktapooxis, and a few Arachos a prison card game (Schloonktapooxis had his cards held in an mechanical arm strapped around his middle). They were betting on adding or removing bubbles in lieu of monies.   
Talay was interrupted from reading to Acai, while Udon and Ixane struggled with measuring the other two for clothing sizes. Holly ran through the bridge in the little under suit she had just been slipped into, while Goji wiggled and wobbled as Udon tried to measure her arms.   
Udon was able to pick up Holly after she tripped face-first on the ground after Lard Nar's announcement.  
  
"I've got one!" Spleenk shot up from his seat, knocking it over and sending his cards and cup flying. "RESISTO!"   
There were some murmurs of agreement.   
"We'll put it on the list." Lard Nar looked at Talay. "You named four kids, you got any ideas?"   
Talay blinked. "I...named them after my mother and her family, it was an obvious choice for me." He bobbed Acai on his knee.   
"Well...what about your grandmother?"   
"I'm not naming the ship Pitaya!" Talay groaned. "Especially after she didn't recognize me when my horns grew out." He grumbled.

"Alright, then family names out." Lard Nar leaned back with a groan. "Anyone else have ideas?" He called out.   
"Captain!" One of the Arachos shouted, pointing at a radar on the console he was at. "There's something circling us!"   
He opened a projection of the radar.   
There was an outline of another ship behind them. Not much bigger, but far more structured.  
Lard Nar lurched backwards into his seat with a yelp. "It's them! What do we do!?"   
  
Ixane hurried Holly back with her family so they could be brought to safety.   
"Is the lower canon fixed in place or can it turn?" Talay asked, stopping at the stairs before heading up to leave the bridge.  
"It can turn, but it only has five hits before it has to charge!" Lard Nar responded.   
"Then use them! Uh, after making sure it's them first." Before Talay could head up, there was a hailing beacon.  
  
Lard Nar started hyperventilating. "Ohh, it's the Massive all over again! Hey, put those down!" He shouted at a few Arachos as they started to lift some cutouts with glowing eye holes. "I don't even know why you made new ones!"   
He answered the call with a shaking breath.

  
A creature with long tentacles spilling over its face and overcoat appeared on the communication screen.  
"Greetings." He started. "I am Captain Frolt and I --"   
"We don't have anything!" Lard Nar squealed, interrupting him.   
Frolt stopped, tentacled arm lifting in mild surprise. "Of course you do." He folded his tentacles. "You have engineers that can make that bucket fly. I want them on my ship."   
Lard Nar took at look at Talay. And Ido-Iko-Ibo. And Turgh. His own hands.   
"No." He crossed his arms. "I'm not handing over my people." Maybe a brave face would be worth something to the crew.   
  
Suddenly, Tomkha stepped in front of Lard Nar's camera, wrestling away from Udon trying to keep him out of sight. "Yeah, we're handing over nobody!" He raised his fists up as if it were some kind of game.   
"Tomkha!" Lard Nar ushered him out of view.   
"Brilliant engineers AND a Vortian Prince!" Frolt cackled. "Maybe you are worth something more than just being my engineers."  
The whole ship rattled as something hit it.   
An alarm blazed.  
"Sir, our flank's been hit!" Spleenk shouted.   
  
Talay stumbled to a wall so he wouldn't fall onto the stairs with his triplets in hand.   
"Then fire back!" Lard Nar jumped into his seat.   
"If we have to use a hit, we will!"   
"Whose idea was it to have a canon with only five hits!?" Talay exclaimed.   
"The Bokfoog Republic!" Lard Nar was louder.   
"OH, of course it was them!" Talay sighed. 

Schlooktapooxis fired the first shot into the ship behind them, slamming a button that was covered with a shield.  
Frolt grasped the arms of his chair as his ship rattled with the impact.   
"So it's like that, then?" He growled. He stood up. "Well...expect to be boarded." He warned.   
With a panicked shriek, Schloonktapooxis fired the button four more times.  
"NO! That's all of our charges!" Lard Nar howled in alarm. "Now we have to wait for more!"  
  
Frolt was knocked from his seat amid all the impacts. Lard Nar held his breath, hoping that he'd be sucked out into space by way of a hole blown into his ship.   
Instead, Frolt clambered back up. "Feisty lot, aren't you?" He snarled, less than amused.  
"Sir, they're coming closer!" The Aracho at the radar shouted. "Their speed's increased, they --"   
There was another shake. Less violent than the original hit - which Spleenk reported had, fortunately, left no damage at the time. However.  
"Um, sir." Spleenk swallowed. "They've attached an airlock bridge to us."  
  
Lard Nar could only look at Talay. "Hide." He pointed out of the bridge.   
He was already running for the exit into the connecting hall into the dormitories, where a few of the crew were stepping out from rooms to investigate what was happening.  
"Back in! Back in!" Talay shouted, nearly shoving Momo Larloch. "The pirates are boarding us!"   
"They what?" Momo Larloch's frill raised.   
"They want the engineers. Which makes four of us. And the Prince now that they've seen him." Talay continued slowed his pace so he could walk backwards as he informed them.  
The children were all babbling at once, confused about what was going on.   
"We have to hide." He told them. "We have to hide so we don't get separated again." He turned around and finished his way to their cabin. He almost considered locking the door. But Udon was likely to be along with Tomkha and Donyx.   
  
But the bedroom door...he shut the lock once he was behind it.   
He almost considered going behind the bed. But then...one more option was available.  
He hurried into the bathroom and set the triplets in the tub before locking that door.  
"Is it bath?" Acai perked up when the light switched off.   
"No, no we're hiding." Talay climbed in with them. "We're hiding until Uncle Nar tells us it's safe, okay?" He removed his comlink from his belt and set it on the side of the bath.   
He clutched them all in the pitch blackness, hoping against everything that maybe he could protect them this time. 

Lard Nar stood with his crew while the entry door was forced open, standing in front of them. He even tried to block his arms with them as best he could, even when there was no way he could protect the tallest among them.   
The first of the pirates to enter was the Captain. Behind him, five more of his tentacled kin.   
"One more chance to make it easy." He extended a tentacle. "Or there will be blood."   
One of the pirates pointed a laser rifle at Spleenk, who raised all four of his arms with a low whimper.   
"You don't even know which of us are engineers!" Lard Nar shouted. "I could give you anyone and it could be a trap!" 

At the Captain's direction, two of the pirates left the bridge to search the rest of the ship for hidden crew.   
"Then we'll just have to find out for ourselves."   
"That's stupid." Lard Nar crossed his arms. "For all you know, I could have bought this ship for cheap! The engineer wouldn't be around!"   
The Captain blinked uncomfortably, considering that situation. "And you could be hiding your engineers!" 

The pair sent into the cabins had little luck finding anyone. Surely they would have all gone into one space and it was almost not worth checking every door to find it locked.   
The first one they did find lead into a cabin that looked like it was housing small children.   
"Prince." One of them sneered. The first room and bathroom were empty.   
The second door was locked. Which surely meant...  
One of the pirates drew a pistol and shot out the door handle.   
  
Talay gasped in the bathtub, flinching when he heard the laser fire.   
"No." He shuddered. He hugged the children closer. "Oh no, hold on..." He curled his legs.  
The bathroom lock was blasted out. The laser stopped through the still-concealed mirror, and light from the bedroom spilled in as the door was kicked open.  
"Well, Mugooz! No Prince, but we've got something just as good!" The pirate stalked in, extending a tentacle toward Talay.   
He froze as a tentacle curled around his right horn - fortunately not the one that had just been sealed. But he still tried to swat defensively, as the other hooked around his arm and he was dragged out, the children spilling from his grasp.   
He snapped back to attention when they were screaming for him - and was lost again in the memory of Zim dragging him away.   
  
"And he's got brats too." The second pirate looped his tentacles around all three of them.  
"Bring 'em all to the Captain." Mungooz sneered. "We got a lot more bargaining chips than we expected."

"Captain! Did we ever find an Engineer for you!" Mungooz dropped Talay on the floor in front of him. The second kept the children wrapped in his arms as they struggled and wailed for help.  
"Isn't he the fella what made the Massive?"   
Frolt swung around to see him. "Ah, he sure is." His mouth tentacles curled. "Wouldn't he be a fine asset?"   
He drew a large laser rifle. "Probably the reason why this ship can even function."  
"Can't take all the credit." Talay coughed, grasping his chest as he struggled to recover air from being squeezed. He wobbled to his feet.  
  
Captain Frolt expected Talay to stand and make a brave face toward him, but instead, he charged for the pirate holding the children, ramming into him shoulder-first so he would topple over and drop them. G'raggo was the first to reach the children and pull them away as Talay had a few second to stamp the pirate in the face before being thrown to the floor. He scrambled to get back up, practically seeing red, as he once again tried to launch himself at the pirate, who was now ready, wrapping a tentacle around his arm and twisting him back.   
  
"Wow, didn't know he could do that." G'raggo mused, watching Talay continue in his struggle to fight.  
During prison riots, he'd either hide himself away, or try to break up fights. Already, a few of the other Moo-Ping 10 prisoners were moving in to interfere, bringing down Mungooz and the third pirate, giving Talay space to break off.   
Frolt was also brought to the ground, not anticipating so much resistance.   
"Ohh, did I forget to mention we have escaped prisoners?" Lard Nar tapped his chin with a sardonic grin.   
Frolt worked to shove the fishman of his back and kicked him into the all behind them. 

Lard Nar grabbed Talay by the hand and rushed to the kitchen with him.   
"No! No, the children are still out there!" Talay struggled to pull away.  
"G'raggos' got them! We need a ruse!" Lard Nar shut the kitchen door behind him. 

"And this was the only place I could think of that was close.." He looked around.   
"Why does the kitchen connect to the bridge..." Talay sighed with realization.  
"It's a long and stupid story, but we don't have time for that!" Lard Nar went to grab a knife.   
"Don't you have our own weapon supply?" Talay groaned. "Barely. And we can't reach that either."  
"You...need this built better." Talay noticed a jar of edible pearls in the open pantry.

"Hey, how dumb do you think these pirates are?" Talay wondered, picking them up.  
"Well, they didn't take one look at G'raggo and thing 'oh this might be a bad idea'" Lard Nar rolled his eyes.   
"Yeah, that was pretty dumb." Talay nodded. "Because I've got an idea." He rattled the jar. "What kind of gloves do we have in here? I need to make it look as real as possible."

One of the pirates had been sent to investigate the ship tailing the junk heap they targeted. It was a much nicer ship.  
It would have some shiny goods instead of shiny minds, but what was the difference?   
Rather than sending a warning like the good captain, Gluborg opted instead to launch the travel pod's airlock bridge at the little caravan's door. It magnetized around it, creating a tight seal. The oxygen pod within the unfurled bridge fell onto the floor and expelled its gas.   
  
  
Laksa was focused on piloting the caravan when he felt the sudden thump from the right side. Over the door.   
He tapped Voon, who had been engrossed in reading a tacky romance novel instead of watching the radar like he had asked her to - and sworn she was focused on.   
"Voon." he cleared his throat. "What's on our Starboard side?"   
"Uh..." She peeked over her book. "It's another ship." She blinked. "It's um...got an airlock bridge."   
Laksa growled. "I swear, if Blar's here to complain about one more thing! And in mid flight! Couldn't have the decency to hail us at the least." He set the ship on auto-pilot and stood up to approach the door - then noticing the lock was moving on its own.  
Which meant only one thing.   
"Voon, get behind the counter!" He barked.   
"Ugh, why? It's just Blar."   
"No it's not, _get behind the counter!_" He ran for a safe where he had a weapon hidden and shoved it into Voon's hand. "Remember what we worked on." 

The door swung open, revealing a Tencuul pirate with a pistol at his side, standing in an airlock bridge.   
Laksa backed off, giving the pirate room to close the door, dropping the magnet he used to force the lock open.  
  
"Well! I was expecting some regular ol' travelers, but look what's here instead!" The pirate pointed his pistol at Laksa.  
"I found a dying breed. Think the Irkens would pay a lot for you."  
Laksa pushed Voon behind him.  
"You're out of luck. The Irkens already know about us." He pulled off his housecoat, revealing his Irken uniform.   
  
The pirate gawked, then laughed. "Well, aren't you nuts. Fine, I'll leave." He pointed at Laksa's chest.  
"Not without that watch. Looks like what the royals wore. Someone would pay a pretty penny for it."   
Laksa was slowly stepping around to a sword displayed on the wall. "It doesn't work." He warned. "You'd lose value."  
"You didn't kill a prince to get it, did'ya? Was it you that ganked ol' Prince Khagai?" The pirate raised a brow, following Laksa to the wall as he grappled for, what he thought, was a display sword.  
Or at best, a fencing foil made to do little harm.  
  
He stopped when it was pointed at his face. The sound it made when it was drawn from the wall was very, very real.   
The pirate took a quick glance at his stance, the position of his feet.  
This was no helpless nobleman.  
The pirate noticed a portrait hung on the wall, depicting one of Vort's great naval captains.  
"Don't insult my honor like that again." Laksa growled.   
"Ahh...I see what I'm dealing with." The pirate still lifted his pistol back at him - and yelped when a laser weapon triggered behind him. He wobbled on his feet and collapsed. "What in the name of--" He howled.   
Laksa nodded at Voon, who was peeking from the floor behind the cabinets, her own pistol clutched between her hands.   
  
The pirate was writhing on the ground. "What did you do!? You had a sword, what--" He squirmed as Laksa grasped him by the collar of his coat and lifted him off the floor.   
"Now, I'm going to give you two options. Go back to your crew and tell them to turn around...or they'll have to chase down your frozen remains when I throw you out the airlock. Now that you know who's here." He kicked away the pirate's dropped weapon away from his hands, and picked it up for himself.   
The pirate scowled. "What makes you think I'd surrender, I--" He stopped when there was a bleep his comlink.   
  
"Gluborg! Get back here! We're leaving!" The feed cut over the sound of someone screaming. "No, not my baby!"  
Talay clicked his tongue. "Back to the ship, it is." He dragged him to the door and shoved him out into the airlock bridge, where he landed in the middle of the path and slid slightly.   
"Let's hope we don't cross again, eh?" He shut his door with a slam. 

Talay emerged back onto the bridge where the Resisty crew had still been keeping up the fight.  
G'raggo had the triplets hidden behind him, as he fought against another of the pirates that came after him.  
  
"HEY!" Talay barked at the pirate captain. "You want Vort's greatest engineers, well!" He lifted the bowl he was carrying.  
"These are highly radioactive elemental bombs. If they touch your skin, you're dead in five hours!" He picked up one in a hand covered by a thick black glove.   
It was an edible pearl, coated in powdered sugar and luster dust. He flicked it at Mugooz, who jumped back with a squeal.   
"Oh yeah, what about the rest of you?" Captain Frolt pointed at the pearl as it rolled across the floor.  
"Transfers all radioactivity through contact." He picked up another one. And smacked it against Frolt's face.   
  
The pirate crew fell even quieter.  
Goji was running for Talay upon seeing him near. Frolt snarled, with nothing left to lose. He snatched her off the ground, scooped a handful of the the pearls and pressed them hard on the back of Goji's head and shoved her at Talay.   
Goji squealed with discomfort as they oozed down her neck. "Yuck!" She flailed.   
Talay, not even expecting this angle, but without missing a beat on his bluff, dropped to the floor clutching her. "No! My child! Not my child!"  
Frolt leaned over. "If I'm going down, the snotty brat's going with me." He reached for a com link. "Gluborg! Get back here! We're leaving!" He stalked away.   
"No, not my baby!" Talay dropped the bowl of pearls and clutched a very uncomfortable Goji closer. "I've been blinded by pride!"   
  
He stalked away with a shivering Mugooz and the five other pirates, slinking nervously past Talay in case he decided to take out the rest of them.  
They disappeared out the airlock bridge. Once it was completely cleared, Talay stopped his improvised drama.   
"Had I not been so egotistical and--okay, let's get you a bath, you're really sticky." He lifted her away from him.   
He giggled at her angry little pout. "Sorry, sweetie, I had to make it look real." He kissed her between the eyes and on the cheek.  
"Wait, what do you mean, make it look real!?" Spleenk waved all of his arms in a panic.  
  
"Oh yeah, these are just edible pearls from the kitchen." Talay rattled the bowl. "I drained them, then coated them in powdered sugar and luster dust to make them look like real radioactive bombs. Those are..." He laughed nervously. "Those are no joke. Knew an Irken that got exposed to them. He died hideously...corrupted his DNA so badly, his PAK couldn't resuscitate him." Talay stood up as Holly and Acai scrambled to him from behind G'raggo's legs.  
"But um..." He shrugged at the bowl. "Those are perfectly edible if anyone needs a sugar kick after all the panic of the day." He set it up on a high surface.   
  
The Resisty crew backed away nervously.   
"You...put on a pretty good performance there, bud." G'raggo nervously laughed.  
"Yeah, it's was pretty believable." Spleenk rubbed the back of his head.   
"Well, _I_ need a sugar hit after all that mess. Where's Udon and the boys?" He realized. Udon squeezed out from a door hidden in the stairway, Tomkha sprinting out into the open from behind her.  
"Did you know these old bridges used to have hidden storage areas?" She wiped sweat from her forehead.  
"My brother used to fly spaceships like this when he wasn't at sea...hid his liquor in those compartments. I'm sure you could find a better use." She pointed at Lard Nar.  
  
"You want some fake bio-weaponry?" Talay offered her the bowl. "It's just edible pearls covered in powdered sugar. Thanks to all the baking Graggo's been doing." He nodded at him.  
"Hey, don't give me credit for this, you were one monologue short of laughing like a mad scientist!" G'raggo raised his arms. "Also, you owe me new popping bubbles." He cleared his throat.  
"Oh? What, you think I don't have _a maniacal laugh?_" Talay suggested and suddenly dropped his voice lower than G'raggo expected it could.  
"I do, but...you gotta have the energy for it." He returned to his normal voice. 

"Ah um...let's get out of here..." Lard Nar cleared his throat. "We should be at Serrish by the time they realize it was a ruse."  
"Can we...get there faster?" Spleenk asked.   
Lard Nar sank into his seat. "Yes...yes we can." He rubbed his face with exhaustion.He still had to hail a station.  
"Talay, I'm so sorry, but in ten years, your children will be telling their schoolmates that they were raised on The _Resisto_."   
"If they even have schoolmates." Talay sighed. "Who knows what life will be like at that time."   
  
"Well, we won't get to speculate if we waste time sitting around here!" Lard Nar pointed Spleenk. "Let's go."  
Talay and Udon watched the ship move forward before returning to their cabins. With its destroyed doors. "Well. I guess that's another fix for Serrish!" Talay groaned.  
"We're just gonna...collapse for a little bit."   
Udon nodded. "You do that." She agreed.   
Talay opted to set Goji on the edge of the sink and just wash her back and head without plunging her completely in a tub. She didn't resist against the wash cloth, but she still whined about it.  
  
"There, it's not that long." He pulled the towel away. "Just to get the sticky off." He carried her back to the others where the were huddled on the bed, clinging to their dolls and whimpering. He sprawled out with them.   
"Let's get some calm." He cuddled them close. 

The entire pirate ship was in disarray with the news their captain and compatriot had been exposed to a bioweapon, with only hours to live. They scrambled, determining the only thing they could do was make them comfortable and take their wills.   
Refusing to die in a bed like an "invalid", Frolt sat up at the desk in his cabin, sure to maintain his pride in his last hours.   
Especially with Gluborg in agony in the infirmary after being shot through the leg by a _child_. Dignity would not be his.   
Time passed. The death hour drew near.  
Frolt and Mungooz felt no symptoms of illness or weakness. Perhaps it was sudden death, they concluded. They spent words as wisely as they could.   
Six hours since impact.  
  
And nothing happened.   
Frolt, having not wiped away the pearl mush that smeared his face ("I'll be buried with what kills me!" He shouted at the medic), did finally investigate it.  
There was a sweet smell. He tasted some of the paste that had dried on.  
_Sucrose.  
_"That little bastard!" Frolt slammed his fist on his chair. "It was a trick!" He shot up from his chair.   
There was a mixture of relief and anxiety that changed its face.   
"And that ship's going to be at Serrish by now!" He stormed into the middle of the room.   
  
"So we'll catch them on the way back." His first mate suggested.  
"No...you saw their main canons. They might not work now, but when they leave Serrish, it's bound to be with them finished. And with the Massive's engineer, they're bound to be more powerful than ever." Frolt paced. "We'll have to find another way." 

Lard Nar hailed the Serrish Ports, now seeing the crystalline green sphere's purple landmasses with his bare eyes.   
"This is _The Resisto_ to Serrish, seeking mechanical aid." He spoke when they were answered.  
"Serrish to..._The Resisto_...take the North Quadrant for mechanical aid." The Serrishoid on the communications screen responded awkwardly.   
The Serrishoids were a square, squat race with nubby limbs, and horned fins on the back of their heads. Unseen on the screen, was the Coms Officer's jagged tail.   
"Ah, take note that the Northern Quadrant is experiencing incoming freezes. Prepare for intense cold." The Coms Officer continued.   
A little beam on a map of Serrish projected where to land.   
"Thank you, _The Resisto_ to Serrish out." Lard Nar ended the link.  
"What a nice way to come in!" Schloonktapooxis beamed.  
"Yes, the Serrishoids like to know who's coming and going more than others. Makes sense given the times, never knowing where an Invader's going to spring up." Lard Nar felt like he could relax at the least as the ship began to enter the atmosphere, into a landing dock that was expecting them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now for more antagonists, in Pirate Flavor.
> 
> But also, a few adventures on Serrish!


	15. Serrish

Four hours would have seemed like enough time to regroup after the pirate incident. But upon arrival on Serrish, the whole of the newly christened Resisto was still winding down.   
For the most part, they all sat quietly and drifted around the ship with exhaustion.   
Prince Tomkha was the only one with energy to spare, hopping around the ship and pretending like he had been involved in the scuffle.   
  
Lard Nar watched him, chin pressed into his palm as he pranced around with a little rod he could found, thrashing it like a play sword.   
"Hey, Tomkha." He called. "You want to sit up on the Captain's chair?" He patted the side of the chair where there was a lot of empty space.  
Tomkha stopped and started to consider. "Uh, um. Yeah!" He dashed over, rod still in hand, and scrambled onto the chair.   
"I'm Captain now too!" He dropped his voice to sound deep and serious. "Fire at them bad guys!" He pointed at Schlooktapooxis.  
"Okay!" Schloonktapooxis grinned and prepared to press the lower canon's firing button.  
"NO!" Lard Nar yelped. 

The arrival at Serrish was long awaited.  
Talay spent years cooped up in a prison. A week holed up in two different bedrooms. Two days in space. If there was one thing he was more excited for than seeing sunlight again, it was introducing his children to it.   
While it was try that there would have been minor exposure on Earth, it would not have been enough to make a difference to them one way or another.   
This time, for real, he could get them out into fresh air. Onto grass. Into the sunlight.   
  
It would make their physical therapy easier, give them more to work with to stretch their legs.   
Talay could hardly contain his thrill as he followed Lard Nar out of the ship to a trio of waiting Serrishoids, carrying the children with him so they would stumble down the stairs.   
They gazed up at the dome of the dock as pale pink sunlight filtered through the glass.   
"It's not a blue sky like home, but, it'll do." Talay wistfully watched them stagger around, gawking and awing at the sky above.   
  
"What, your kids never seen clouds before?" One of the Serrihoids asked Lard Nar as they worked on clearance checks.  
"My ki--no, no! They're just his." Lard Nar nervously disregarded the suggestion. "Also now, I...don't think they have. They've all escaped prison recently." He cleared his throat.   
"Then they'll be in for a shock." The Serrishoid gritted his teeth. "Weather's going to change soon."   
Lard Nar watched the children make a run for a wide window to look out of it. "I'll let him know."   
  
He joined Talay where he was crouched down with the children, pointing at different parts of the outside to look out at.  
The mechanic hub was on top of an ocean cliff side, with a town scooping down its hill and summit into a valley. The buildings were dark gray domes, set apart in organized distance.   
It was certainly a much safer place to let loose the unintentionally sheltered children into for the first time. Even in the mid afternoon, it was far less crowded.   
Lard Nar patted Talay's shoulder. "Well, you should be able to head out." He cleared his throat. "You want someone to go with you?" He asked.   
  
Talay took a short breath. "Actually, I think we might need this time as a family." He smiled.   
"Well...let me know if you need anything." Lard Nar tried to hide his disappointment. "But, I'll drop you some monies."   
"Where...are you getting all of this?" Talay raised a brow.  
"There was a big stash hidden in the cruise ship. Still accepted currency. It...won't last us long." Lard Nar rubbed his neck.  
"Well...that would be a talk with the crew." Talay accepted a little pocket containing the moneys. "We'll be back in a bit. Just going to take them out to the grass."   
"I should let you know there's going to be freezing rain around nightfall." Lard Nar warned.   
"Then I'll try to be back by then." Talay assured him.   
  
A Sherrishoid opened a door to the outside for him to head out from.   
Talay lead the children, walking backwards to lead them out, excited to see their reactions.  
They stepped out, wide eyed-and curious at first as the door shut behind them.   
  
Then a cold, sharp gust of wind blew.   
The fascination fell immediately as the triplets all immediately began howling and protesting against it.  
"Put it away, Daddy!" Acai wailed in the midst of her sisters.   
Talay's excitement fell away.  
"Ahhh I forgot about wind." He groaned. "_I forgot about wind!_" He stooped over and opened his arms to them. "Come on, now. We can't put the wind away." He said just as the breeze stopped.   
They settled steadily, sniffling as it passed.  
"Let's take a little trip, huh?" He stood up and made sure they had gathered around him to follow him. "Let's see if we can find a nice spot to run in." He could see a nice big field of grass, where there were already some Serrishoids and a few other species down below.   
"How about that? I'l carry you if you get tired."   
  
Each one shrank a little, but then nodded.  
"'Kay, Daddy..." Goji peeped.   
  
It wasn't long before he did have to carry Goji. Then Acai not long after.   
Holly however, was nearly a rocket as she zipped around the path, circling Talay with a surprising amount of caution for an energetic toddler.  
"You're not even at the field yet and you're rearing to go." Talay watched her take a few steps ahead of him. Then she rushed behind him as a Serrishoid passed them hauling a hovering cart, stopping at one of the domes far behind them.   
"Yeah, what's that guy got?" Talay let her clutch his leg. 

It was a good thing there was a mechanic's hub. The door would need its magnet replaced sooner or later, no thanks to that pirate.  
Laksa was relieved it was even holding together as he descended into the small ships section. It was set at the bottom of the cliffside, where it was easier to work on smaller ships. The top of the cliff was suited to allowing large ships to dock on the sides of the cliff, when there would otherwise be no way to elevate them to be worked from underneath if necessary.   
Voon was bursting at the seams to get out of the ship. Two days and a pirate attack had her on edge - especially when it came down to her to fire at it.   
  
She deserved some kind of treat for that alone.   
  
Laksa allowed her one short sprint out of the caravan when they stepped out. She dropped into a seat against a window while Laksa explained the situation to a Serrishoid mechanic.   
"Pirate ruined my magnet lock. I need it replaced as soon as possible." He wore a poet's shirt instead of his uniform to dissuade suspicion, and look more like a formal nobleman on the run from the Irkens. He cleared his throat. "Also, I need blood cleaned out of the carpet."   
"I'll take a look at the door and give you a guess of how long it'll take." The Serrishoid was already eyeing the door. "We'll share comlinks so you can go out. I'll inform you of what's needed."   
Laksa handed him his key to the ship and went to collect Voon.  
  
"Well isn't he serious." She followed him out the door to the beach.   
"He's probably had multiple ships needing to be repaired in pirate attacks; no doubt it's yet another in a long line of doors they've barged through." Laksa glanced around at the beach where there were some Serrishoid families out and about.   
"Let's get you something for your efforts." He patted her shoulder. "Something sweet before the temperature drops."   
"I'm not six, Laksa." Voon scoffed. "But that still sounds good..."   
  
Laksa hooked his arm in her's. "Then let's head up the hill."   
Voon took good notice at the shirt he was wearing. "Didn't Dol Oro make that for you?" She asked.   
"Yes, and I'll wear it to the beach if I want to."   
They just missed Talay and his children as he finally got them down into the field in front of the beach.  
  
"Here we go! Grass!" He stepped off the gravel path into it.   
As the children stared at the grass with uncertainty, he took a few steps further away from them, knowing they'd chase after him if he went a few inches too far.  
"Daddy!" Acai shouted as he crept away. She made a charge for him into the grass, yowled as the grass touched her skin for the first time, and collapsed against his leg. Without the words to properly describe the sensation, she wailed more and tried to keep her legs off the ground. The other two weren't far behind her. Holly actually collapsed into the grass and had an even bigger reaction.  
  
Talay was intervening just as all the noise was drawing attention from the Serrishoids.   
"Well, it was worth a try." He sighed, kneeling down on the ground with them.   
"Let's try the beach? You might like sand better." He suggested, starting to pick up Goji as there was another breeze - this one stronger, and colder, coaxing immediate wails from the whole litter.  
"Or we'll get into a shop where it's warm..." He gathered up the other two and hustled into a small shop.  
  


Just as he got through the door, Laksa and Voon passed, heading up to a different shop.   
Laksa immediately began to tremble with the cold. "The weather wasn't supposed to change like this." He groaned. "I expected it later."   
"Weather's a bitch." Voon bluntly responded.   
"Not the way I'd put it, but yes." Laksa shrugged as they stepped in.  
"Should've worn a coat." Voon reiterated as she dropped into a seat.   
Laksa ignored the remark, going to the counter to order.   
  
"Don't I know you?" The old Serrishoid at service asked, looking him up and down. "Your antlers look familiar."   
Laksa froze, staring at the Serrishoid.  
She did look familiar too. However...  
"Not that I recall, sorry." Laksa shook his head, accepting the drinks from the younger Serrishoid behind her.   
  
Just as he returned to the table with Voon, his comlink buzzed.   
He groaned, getting back up from his seat and stepping outside into the wind as it was starting to billow.   
"Blar." He groused.  
"Did you get the pirate!?" Blar immediately barked.  
"We only encountered one pirate and he was a Tencuul. He ruined my door magnet and now I'm getting it fixed. I'm waiting for an estimate on how long it will take." Laksa counted down to Blar's temper surging.

  
"You don't have time for repairs!"   
"I don't want to die in space either." Laksa stressed. "Besides, I know the Prince's ship is here. I just don't have an in for it yet."   
Blar growled on the other side of the comlink.   
"Look, your pirate is still probably on the Satellite. These can't be the only one he's with." Laksa shivered as the breeze grew.  
"You said the pirate that boarded you was a Tencuul?" Blar asked for a moment.   
Laksa choked down the urge to respond 'It would be great if a pirate boarded me' in innuendo. But not only would Blar not understand...  
"Yes, he was a Tencuul." He sighed.  
  
Blar started swearing on the other side.  
"Fool! He runs with a Tencuul crew!" He seethed.   
"Well, he wasn't with that one." Laksa huffed. "He came after us alone. A mistake on his end; Voon shot him through the leg while I kept his attention. Threw him out onto his own airlock bridge."   
"I'm going after the ship!" Blar abruptly shouted.  
"Sir, don't...don't go after the ship." Laksa groaned, but he wasn't heard. Blar cut the feed.  
"Well, have fun dying." He tucked the comlink back into its halter and returned to Voon, who was tucking into her meal.   
  
  


  
The children were continuing to draw attention within the other shop, a bakery, as they whimpered and whined with their over stimulation.   
"You okay, man?" A Serrishoid baker looked him up and down.  
"Ah, they're not used to the weather." Talay sighed. "Just need them to settle before we regroup." He crouched down and shuffled them gently over to a bench.   
"Well, they should do it soon. The whole cliff path is going to freeze when it starts to rain. Too steep to climb." The Baker warned.  
"I...I'm a Vortian, I think I can climb it just fine." Talay lifted a leg and wiggled the long foot.   
"Can your kids? In freezing rain?" The baker stressed, pointing at them as they shivered and complained.   
  
Talay clicked his tongue. "Ahh...no..." He sighed. He cleared his throat.   
"Uh, I should probably order something..." He realized.  
"Yeah, that'd be nice." The baker crossed his arms - which at first appeared to be short and stubby until they stretched out.   
Talay stepped up to the display, tailed by the children as he started away from them.   
He picked out some small, soft pastries that they would be able to eat easily - and a hot drink for himself, remembering the warning about the cold.  
"I'd like that decaffeinated." He noted, prompting the Serrishoid to raise a brow, but complied.   
"Last thing I need is you three getting even more jumpy." He smoothed a hand over his chest and paid the baker.   
  
He was given the pastries and broke them apart at the table so they'd be easier for the children to hold.   
They had settled by the time his drink arrived. Goji was even tipping her head down as she continuously dozed off and jerked herself awake.   
Talay wrapped her inside the fold of the jumpsuit he was wearing so she could doze on him, sparing her from falling asleep on the bench.   
He settled into his drink, letting Holly and Acai cuddle up on each side of him, and complied with the questions they were asking about all of their surroundings while they finished their treats.   
  
Goji, however...  
Talay gasped and nervously pulled the flap as much further over her as he could. Though the baker and the other customers didn't seem to care much about what any of them were doing now that the children had settled.   
"Oh, you're going for squish _now?_" He sighed looked inside to see Goji latched on him. She didn't let go to respond, but still rolled onto her side so her feet hung out from the flap, into what Talay considered the 'Goji's going to take her damn time' hold.

"Well, if we can beat the rain." He sipped from the mug, watching the sky abruptly turn dark as the beach was quickly abandoned by its visitors.  
He didn't exactly have a plan if he did get trapped.   
He could only watch the sky - until it was too dark. And there were some raindrops.   
One more tantrum for the road...  
  
He finished off his drink and stroked Goji's cheek to coax her to let go.   
"Hey, we need to be heading home." He gently told her. Home, was it now?  
"Iwunnsquish." Goji whined.   
"You can have more soon, but we need to get out." He untucked her from the flap and affixed it back in place.   
He rubbed Goji's head as she pouted, head hung low. "It'll be better when we're back." He told her, still picking her up and leading the other two out.   
  
They were all immediately hit with a frigid cold and billowing wind. All three howled in the shock of hit; Holly and Acai grabbing his legs. "Put it away!" They repeated the sentiment from earlier.   
"It's just a little walk, everything will be okay." Talay crouched down to reassure them. "Just a little more, and will be in our nice warm bed and -- "   
Rainfall dropped. Cascaded.   
Talay felt his heart sink as the already disappointed Goji trembled into sobbing.   
They were all drenched within seconds.   
  
He wished he had an umbrella.  
  
  
  
  
At the Large Ship Mechanics, Lard Nar was in a panic.   
"Talay's still out there! And his kids!" He paced and shook. "He hasn't even responded back to me!" He hugged himself at the shoulders. "Why hasn't he called back!?"   
"Excuse me..." Udon cleared her throat, emerging from the cabin hall. "He hasn't responded because..." She held out Talay's comlink.   
"It was on his bathtub." She morosely handed it to him.   
"Why was it...never mind." He watched the rain from the mechanic's window behind the view screen. "I just hope he can find shelter. Those poor kids won't know what hit them."

Talay felt around his satchel for his comlink as quickly as he could. Until he remembered the last place he had it.  
While he was hiding in the tub during the pirate attack.   
It was still there!   
And he could see the path up turning to ice faster than he anticipated. He was about hurry the children back into the shop they'd just left...  
Another Vortian was practically slipping down the road as he tried to make it down. A teenager wasn't far behind, skittering on his left side in a panic.   
"Don't fall on your side!" She was shouting.  
They were nobility. Talay noticed their antlers. And they were both as drenched as he and the children were.  
  
The nobleman noticed Talay.   
"Sir!?" He called. "Are you alright?!" He eased onto the flat ground with him. "Oh! Your poor children." He leaned down a little.   
They looked like drenched rats.   
"Where's your ship?" The nobleman asked.  
"It's on the top of the cliff..." Talay groused. "I suppose I could crawl over to a B&B..." He shivered. He noticed the old fool was wearing a poet's shirt, now soaked to the point of being nearly transparent.   
"No time." The nobleman shook his head. "The B&B is across the beach and your kids might get hypothermia by then."   
He cleared his throat.  
  
"My caravan is in the small ships mechanic just down the way." The nobleman pointed.  
"Laksa, do we even have room for all of them?" The younger female grabbed his arm.   
"Of course we do, we'll put down the futon."   
Talay swallowed anxiously.  
Of course this was Laksa. Laksa, who might try to weasel information about Tomkha out of him.   
  
But...  
Talay looked at his children as they huddled around him.   
He sighed. "Let's go then." He grabbed all of them at once. "They've had a twelve hours."   
"So have we. Pirates, you know." Laksa touched his shoulder and lead him around to the mechanics at the bottom of the cliff.   
The mechanic there was waiting.  
"Hey, they weren't with you when you arrived." He noticed the drenched family.  
"They're with the large ships. Didn't make it up the cliff in time." Laksa explained bluntly.   
  
"Well!" The Serrishoid cleared his throat. "I had to take your whole door off so I can get into the magnet. Might take a few days to repair."   
Laksa sighed. "Of course it --- what ever, is there a temporary door?" He asked.   
"Of course there is! Gotta keep things out, 'specially if you're still sleeping in there."   
"And we are. And would like to go in before the kids keel over." Laksa pointed to the tiny children, who had gone quiet and shivering in their father's arms.   
  
"Oh. Go right ahead." The Serrishoid gave them space to go in.  
Talay didn't see the original door; it must have been completely moved. But he followed Laksa and his companion in with haste, past what he could only call a "shield".   
Better through that door, than having to dodge around seeking shelter. 


	16. The Caravan

Talay could see out the ship's window and through the mechanic's, as he waited for his surprise hosts to bring him towels.  
The freezing rain continued to fall on the Serrish beach. The sky was nearly black as the planet faced away from its searing sun.  
A Serrishoid stopped on the side of the path as the rain started to turn to ice. They shrugged apathetically and dropped up on the ground, quickly claimed by the ice.   
  


"Yikes. Poor guy." Voon gritted her teeth as she passed a small stack towels to Talay.  
"He's fine," Talay assured her. "Serrishoids do that." He crouched to the children and started wrapping up each of them.  
Voon made a face as she wrapped one of the towels around herself. 

Laksa had already busied himself with turning up the heat from a generator as he dried himself.   
He was about to rush and fetch some towels for his unexpected guests, but Voon was already on top of it.  
"Fresh clothes, then."   
Laksa rushed up the stairs to the loft bedrooms as Talay bundled each of his children in towels with gentle buffs.  
"Okay, we're almost better. We're going to get all nice and dry." He assured them.  
Goji was still crying from the time she had started outside.  
"And while we're getting warm, we can get some squish, how's that?" He rubbed her head. She sniffled and choked, but nodded. She was already trying to tug at his jumpsuit to pull open the flap.  
"Not much longer, okay?" Talay wiped her face as Laksa returned.   
  
"Well, this might have to do for you." He passed some thigh-length pants, and an undershirt to him. Laksa was about a head taller than Talay; they were going to be a bit large.  
But...if it made things easier.  
"I don't know what to do for the children." Laksa cleared his throat.  
They were still shaking, their fur now starting to puff up.  
Talay sighed. "You got any more towels? I could wrap them up in that, I guess. Wouldn't be much different than putting a carrier around myself."   
  
"I have scarves!" Voon piped up from her loft, hurrying down in a fresh nightgown and carrying a fistful of scarves.   
Talay accepted them raggedly. "Thanks." He croaked. "I'm...going to need to change them."   
"Over there." Voon pointed at the bathroom door.  
Talay nodded, thanked her again, and gently herded the children to there, all of them whining incoherently along the way.  
  
  


Laksa almost dropped on his cream colored leather chaise lounge - but remembered he was still damp.   
"I'm...going up." He grumbled and stalked up the stairs.   
Voon leaned against the wall of the stairway. "So, what do you plan to do with this? They gotta be from that ugly ship." She suggested.  
"Of course they are." Laksa returned quickly, wrapped in a silk robe, his wet poet's shirt in hand.  
"But what kind of man would I be to interrogate an exhausted father who was just standing out in the freezing rain? You know I have standards." He placed the shirt on a hanger over the heat generator.   
"The Irkens seriously hired the wrong person for this job." Voon plopped on the stairs and crossed her legs.   
"They also hired that idiot to chase a slippery pirate. Who, by now, has probably been launched out an airlock on the Tencuul ship." Laksa started pulling down the back of the couch so it formed a flat bed.  
  
Voon stood up from the stairs when Talay left the bathroom, with all three of his daughters wrapped up in makeshift dresses from the scarves.   
"Oh, that's cute." Voon gasped, scratching her chin in inspiration.   
"No." Laksa mouthed, shaking his head. 

“Now," He cleared his throat, addressing Talay, who had crouched down to comfort his children again.  
"I’m sure it’s a little less spacious than you’re used to in your...big monstrosity, but it’s home enough.” He dug into a linen chest and hauled out a pair of thick blankets, both of which were laid flat on top of each other on the futon.   
“I’ve been in prison since Almighty Tallest Miyuki was killed, this is a luxury in comparison.” Talay glanced around at the amount of space than managed to be squeezed into the caravan. "Well, I was until a little over a week ago."  
  
He placed the children onto the futon one by one, then crawled up with them and stretched out on his back. They quickly clustered around him, nestling under his arms.  
There was a sourness as he expected another void, featureless ceiling until he gasped in pleasant surprise.   
It was painted, depicting the sky on a spring night on Vort with almost unsettling realism.  
“Oh, nice…” Talay cracked a small smile.  
“I don’t like bare walls or ceilings.” Laksa laid down some pillows on the futon. “Spend a month immobile in a hospital, well...they get to you.”  
  
Talay nodded in agreement. “I've in prison so long it’s the only life my children know.”   
“Then get something up on yours. It helps.” Laksa suggested.  
"I'll think about it." Talay pushed himself up by the elbows when Goji shoved the shirt up just a little bit and latched onto his belly. "Oh, just gonna help yourself, are you?"  
Laksa's eyes bugged a little bit when she nestled in.  
"..._Oh_." He got up once again, in more of a hurry, dashed up the stairway to the lofts.  
  
He tucked one arm over the support blanket, and rubbed his fingers on Goji's head. Acai dropped beside her in his middle. Holly had the courtesy to cuddle under his arm for a moment before burrowing under the shirt.   
"Okay, so it's like that, huh?"   
It had been a long time since they'd all nursed at once. The last time, Holly had started walking on her own.   
"Of all the places..." He fumbled to bring the edge of one blanket over Goji and Acai.   
At least Laksa seemed to be going out of his way to leave him some privacy.  
  
Laksa came down the stairs with a final smaller blanket, which he draped over the family.  
Talay gave a little nod of gratitude. "Uh, thanks..."  
Something was off.  
Udon had continuously spoken of Laksa as if he were a malicious slime of a traitor. He couldn't wait to tell Udon how much of a respectable host Laksa had been.   
Now more comfortable - and already starting to feel warmer and drier, he could observe his surroundings a little bit more.

  
Talay noticed a gold watch on the "mantle" above the heat generator. It wasn't making a sound. It could have been audible now that no one was talking.  
“Your watch is...quiet.” Talay pointed to it in hopes of making conversation.   
Laksa seemed, remarkably, mildly offended. “What about it being quiet?”  
Talay didn’t anticipate that reaction.  
“Well, if it’s not working and there’s no one here to repair it, I could…” He started.  
“The gears are melted. There’s nothing that can be done. Thank you for the offer, but I don’t need it to be fixed.” Laksa dropped onto the chaise lounged, arms folded over his chest and legs crossed.

He finally did focus in on a large painting that hung on the wall in front of them - something that should have been an obvious centerpiece right away if he had been paying attention.  
It depicted an elderly Vortian nobleman, who almost looked identical to Laksa - save for his far-branching antlers (where Laksa only had three short, round nubs on each of his). He was riding a white Feldruk.  
Though, something about his face reminded him of Udon.  
  
“Is that your father?” He asked, pointing at it.

“Unfortunately.” Laksa scowled. 

Odd reaction.  
“I should have known...I think I’ve seen it before. At military ceremonies, I think.” Talay tried to remember.

“You’ve seen copies. This is the real thing.” Laksa averted his gaze from it. “I don’t even know why I still have it. I hated that beast.” He bitterly rubbed his shoulder.  
“It bit me when I was young.”  
He picked up a smaller frame that sat on top of the 'mantle' in front of it.   
“But this…Is more worthy of that spot…”   
It held a photo of a Vortian Royal, with long, curving antlers and dark, icy blue eyes. He was wearing Laksa’s watch over a purple robes while holding a baby, beaming with pride.  
“Prince Ratha Chau?” He raised a brow, recognizing him.  
“Voon’s father. She doesn’t remember him much, but I remember how much he loved her.” He traced the frame with his finger, with a melancholy smile.  
  
  
"Ew, don't talk about my dad like that." Voon arrived with her own thick robe wrapped around herself and dropped at the foot of the futon.   
She tilted her head like she was trying to see the children.   
"Leave them be for now, Voon." Laksa warned tiredly.  
"You know what, she can see if she wants." Talay leaned back a little. Goji had broken off and was trying to climb over his belly, anyway. She flopped over, nearly kicking Acai in the head in her landing. Acai, only moving her arm up, tried to swat at Goji, but she had already scrambled out of her reach.  
  
"They...seem kind of big?" Voon raised a brow.   
"Voon!" Laksa gasped.   
"What?!" Voon snapped upright from where she'd been leaning.   
Talay managed to push forward enough to touch her arm. "Hey, hey, hey, we're good!" He hoped to cool potential tension; there was enough stress in the air as it was.   
"It's just how it ended up working out; they need it anyway." Talay watched Voon's eyes drift between his face and Acai as she settled down.  
She put her arms up in defeat. "Well, I'm going to get something to drink." She stalked away to the kitchen.   
  
Talay cleared his throat awkwardly as Voon started tearing into the small fridge.   
"Well, uh..." He tried to think of some kind of conversation with an equally uncomfortable Laksa. He looked at the portrait of the prince.  
"So you knew Prince Ratha?" he started.   
Laksa nodded with a pensive frown. "I did."   
"And how did--" Talay stopped as a communications beacon blared.   
  
Laksa stamped his foot and shot up. "I swear if that idiot's gotten himself into trouble, I..." He started to grumble.

“Incoming call from Master Dol Oro, on the Massive.” A computerized voice interrupted from the communications hub behind the chaise lounge.   
Laksa's tone and expression quickly changed from indignation to panic.   
"OH!" He dropped back down. "Put that blanket up!" He pointed at Talay in alarm before answering the call.   
"What's going on?" Talay asked, as the Communications Screen came to life, projecting another Vortian.  
**  
** He was powdery gray with bright green eyes that were adorned with dark liner and false lashes. There was a dot of makeup above his lip.    
He was wearing a neon blue mock neck gown with a keyhole down the middle of his chest.    


“Laksa! Darling!” The Vortian on the screen reclined elegantly into a cushion on his own chaise lounge - nearly identical to Laksa's in shape, save for its velvety pink material in opposition to the creamy leather.   
“I've heard from Blar you were on Serrish! It just so happens I'm close by. Would you mind if I...poked in? I’d love to say hello.” He flicked his fingers.  
"Dolly...oh...I-I'm only on Serrish for a repair" Laksa stuttered bashfully. His whole demeanor turned on its head.  
Talay was reminded of a teenager stumbling to speak to a crush.   
“You’re...not still offended by what happened last time?” Laksa fumbled his fingers.   
“Come on now, Laks, you’re the one that had the breakdown.” Dolly rolled his eyes, kicking out his incredibly long legs.   
“It wasn’t a breakdown, it--” Laksa stopped and breathed out.  
"So you said the wrong name! You're not the only one who -- who is _that_!?" Dolly pointed at Talay behind Laksa.   
  
Laksa gasped and looked at Talay, who waved nervously.  
"Sorry, I'm..." The only thing he could think to do was uncover the blanket to show the children. "Nothing's happened." ("No!" Acai whined and tried to pull the blanket back.)  
Laksa leaned in closer. "Sorry, dear, he and his children were stranded in an ice storm. Couldn't climb the cliff to his ship." He assured him.   
Dolly cocked his head, then leaned back as he had before. "Well!" He cupped his fingers under his chin. "Can't fault a gentleman." He fluttered his lashes at Laksa.  
Voon peaked around the kitchen's dining bench. "Hi, Dolly!" She waved.   
"Hello, Voon! Your new gown is nearly done!" Dolly waved to her.   
  
Talay dropped flat on the futon, now more uncomfortable than ever. Now there was a lover of some kind involved.   
They were both friends with some Vortian who was living on the Massive. Though it seemed he and Laksa were a little too friendly.   
He toned out the light banter between Voon and Dolly, though it drew Acai's attention. She pulled away from his belly and sat up to listen for a moment.   
Voon returned to where she had been sitting earlier, now with a steaming mug in hand, still small talking with Dolly.   
Acai scrambled to her to investigate what she had.   
  
"Well..." Dolly cleared his throat and looked back to Laksa. "Better get your repairs done quick. I hear things are about to change quickly on Serrish."   
"What do you mean?" Talay asked nervously.   
"Oh..." Dolly lightly scratched his cheek. "You know how these things go." He was not going to impart that information. But Talay had a feeling.   
He had to tell Lard Nar when he got back to his ship.  
"Anyway...if you want to see me, I can get to you." Dolly wiggled his shoulders.   
"Of course I do." Laksa's shoulders relaxed. "The storm should let up by tomorrow." He barely touched the screen. "Let me know when you depart."   
"Always, darling." Dolly blew a kiss from his fingertips before cutting the feed.   
  
  
Talay looked away from Laksa uncomfortably.   
"I know you're with that rebellion." Laksa stood up from the chaise lounge. "And now you know what's coming." He turned around, staring darkly, arms folded behind his back.   
"What, you going to kill me so I don't say anything?" Talay challenged, pulling Acai back from where she was chittering at Voon. Talay could surmise she wanted to try her drink, while Voon had no idea what the attempt at communication was.   
"Why bother? You're not going to stand a chance if you try." Laksa watched Holly slide out into view, her large eyes half lidded with exhaustion.  
"Besides...I'm not going to be the monster that separates nursing children from their parent."  
  
"Oh, I already know one." Talay grumbled.   
  
Laksa circled around to the stairs like a vulture. "Go ahead and tell your resistance. It's not going to matter in the end."   
  
Voon shoulders hung. "Laksa, can't you..." She stopped and clenched her mug. "You can't do anything about it, can you?"   
"I'm afraid not." Laksa sighed. "I know that soon, you will. This is not something we can stop today."   
Voon looked away. "Maybe if we weren't wasting time..."   
"We're not. Unless we stay here longer than necessary." Laksa started to climb up the stairs. "Now. We've all had a long day with pirates and getting stuck in freezing conditions. And now we have something else to wait for. I'd suggest we get some rest." He disappeared behind a wall into the loft, where his room already had its sound blocking curtains closed.   
  


Voon and Talay remained alone together on the futon  
"I'm going to fix all of this. Someday." She said after a moment. "I'm going to make my dad proud of me and I'm going to make things better."   
"You're both making a mistake trusting the Irkens." Talay reached for her hand.   
"It's a risk, but there's too much to lose." Voon stood up, moving her hand away and approaching the stairs. "I'm sorry you had to hear that. Especially the part about Laksa saying the wrong name to Dolly, that was weird."   
Talay couldn't help but smirk a little at the misplaced priority. "Yeah." He agreed.   
Voon turned out the lights when she got upstairs. 

The ceiling suddenly started to faintly glow. Talay was reminded of lying on fields during spring nights on Vort.   
Acai laid nestled in his shoulder, but oohed and pointed at the ceiling.   
"Yeah, it's pretty..." Talay rubbed her head until she settled. "Wish you could see the real thing."   
Words Talay was afraid some errant Serrishoid might say to their offspring one day, if things were going like Dolly alluded they would.   
  
Goji fell asleep where she had attached herself. Talay moved her off the middle of his belly as carefully as he could without disrupting her, while Holly was nearly asleep and Acai was getting comfortable. He managed to move himself into the top layer of heavy blankets; even if he couldn't sleep with the new information on hand, it was better to be comfortable and try.   
  
He had to do it before Dolly's arrival with whoever his "ride" was going to be.  
But whoever they were going to be, the purpose was doubtless.  
  
Invasion. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dolly is an OC by my pal Snufel! Here's their blog! https://snufel.tumblr.com/


	17. After the Storm

Blar was surprised by what he found on the pirate ship. He found it was easy to hack into the hangar.  
He found it was easy to leave his Soup Cruiser amid the escape ports unnoticed. He found multiple decks to be empty. He stayed around a corner and found a trio of Tencululs heading to the Captain's cabin - one of them weeping.   
He had not found _his_ pirate yet as he crept around each empty corner, LUCY hovering not far behind.   
He had not found his pirate until he finally came up to a seemingly abandoned weapons room, with the door open just a crack.   
  
He found his pirate cleaning a disassembled laser rifle, polishing the interior of its barrel with a rod brush.  
He found the short, stout Irken, looking just as the last time he'd saw him.   
He squeezed in through the door, clicking it shut behind him.  
The pirate Irken sighed glumly. "Has the Captain passed, Jo--" He looked up from the barrel and froze. "Hey, you're not Jorkim!" He gasped.   
"So I've found you at last, Lork." Blar waved his hand for LUCY. "You thought you could slip past me this time. LUCY." He nodded.   
"Yes, Sir!" LUCY whirred, powering the center of the "bow" atop its head. "Goodnight." It cooed as it fired.   
  
Lork dropped to the ground before LUCY could fire, rifle barrel still in hand. He rolled over the floor and sprang up on his feet, hurling the barrel at Blar while he was trying to comprehend how quickly he'd moved. The barrel smacked Blar between the eyes, and as he keeled over in the pain of the impact, Lork side tackled him to the floor, knocking LUCY over with him. He shoved him aside from the door, yanking it open (making sure it smacked Blar as he struggled up), and bolted down the hall.  
"Bye!" He hollered.   
He was turning a corner when Blar staggered back up to his feet and propped LUCY back upright. He gave it a slight dusting to make sure there wasn't any damage.   
"With me, LUCY." He waved an arm for her to follow.  
"Yes, sir!" She veered out the door with him.   
  
There were only so many places Lork could have gone on each hall path. But if Blar knew Lork, he would have taken the closer turn - and rushed down it, dodging out of the way if a Tencuul or two happened to cross by.  
Just as he was about to check a room, something smashed him behind the head. Blar toppled over with a brief shout, clutching the top of his head as Lork dropped a metal sheet and continued to run - down into hangar. 

The airlock shield slammed shut in front of Blar, as Lork started scrambling into an escape ship.   
He slammed on the shield as the ship's door closed around Lork. The hangar door slid open, allowing Lork to shuttle off toward Serrish in the distance.   
Blar was forced to wait as the hangar door shut, and the shield was opened. He rushed for his own ship where it had been stowed, leaving LUCY to open the ship's door when he was settled in. LUCY used the current of air being sucked from the hangar to rush toward Blar's Soup Cruiser, and magnetized itself to the roof as it waited for takeoff. Once in space, it drifted for a pressurized port that allowed it down into its own pocket of the Soup Cruiser, without drawing air from Blar's cabin.  
It floated from its pocket, past a pair of containment cells on each flanking wall, and perched on the seat next to Blar.   
  
"Searching. Target forty kilometers ahead." It whirred without prompting.   
"Heading for Serrish?" Blar queried.   
"Trajectory most likely." LUCY responded.   
"Excellent." Blar cracked his knuckles. "Maybe I can get that Vortian in line to help."   
  
  
  
  
  
It was still raining when dawn came. However, the Serrishoid that froze in the middle of their path melted out from their icy cocoon.  
They slowly rose to their feet and stretched. With a lax smack of their mouth, they clicked their stubby feet together with a little bounce and continued along their original path.   
Talay was surprised he had managed to fall asleep.  
Between the noise of the rain outside the mechanic's bay, the occasional demands of attention from his children, and the terror of the knowledge he had accidentally gained, Talay thought for sure he'd be unable to sleep.   
He came back from what he was sure was more of a heavy doze, with Holly sprawled on his belly.  
Goji was buried deep in the blankets at his side, and Acai draped herself his head between his horns.  
She was whining and whimpering quietly, and soon turned to frantic wiggles.  
He gently lifted her off. She cried as she was startled awake, prompting Holly to complain with her as he slowly sat up. Goji's complaints came as crackles, though she wasn't completely disrupted, as she settled back by laying her head on his thigh. Holly calmed down too when she also realized she could lay flat on the futon under the blankets.   
  
Acai, however, was inconsolable. She wailed and howled, clutching him tightly in a fit of desperation.   
It wasn't so different from her early infancy in the Vort prison. When Talay was often the first prisoner awake in order to soothe his children before an Irken guard was alerted to his cell. Usually they'd come to threaten or mock - or both - depending on who was on duty that morning.   
This time however, it seemed like Acai was making incoherent attempts to describe her distress. "Zim--alone--fluffy fell apart--mean"  
He could only understand a few words as she breathlessly wailed.   
The most Talay could deduce was --   
  
"What is going on over there?" Laksa's voice came from above.   
Talay could barely see him, silhouetted in the fading darkness, looking almost like an antlered specter.   
"I think she had a bad dream." Talay rocked Acai, swaying gently back and forth. "Sorry if she woke you."   
Laksa sighed. "I was already awake." His silhouette vanished, and a few seconds later, Talay could hear the slow thump of his footsteps down the stairs. "They're a noisy bunch." Some of his face was illuminated in the light coming through the view screen.   
  
"Yeah, nearly got us in hot water several times in the prison." Talay scowled. He could hear where Laksa sat in his chaise lounge.   
"You said she had a nightmare?" Laksa asked after a beat of silence.   
"Probably about her kidnapper." Talay sighed. "I've had my share." He worked her into a loose cradle; only then did she calm down - and start to hiccough through tearful whimpers. Talay wiped her cheeks with his thumb. "Heyyy, is that better?" He cooed. "Held like a little baby?" He raised her to his face to nuzzle his nose to hers.  
"Squish." She whimpered, pressing her hands on his cheeks and trying to squirm down.  
_Of course._   
"Okay, we can do that." Talay noticed Laksa lean forward thoughtfully, hand rested under his chin, as he allowed her under his shirt.  
  
There was silence while she latched on his middle and settled in.  
"You're a good father." Laksa suddenly spoke up.   
"Just nursing off a panic, not worthy of a star." Talay shrugged. He felt a chill thinking of Donyx. There had been no stellar performances with him.   
"Better than my father ever did." Laksa reclined into his lounge. "Once when I was the prince's age, I hoped for his comfort during a thunderstorm. He denied me, shoved me off to a butler who had nothing to do with my upbringing, and sent me back to my bed even less confident than when I'd left it."   
  
An unsettling anecdote...  
Talay looked in the direction of the portrait of Laksa's father.   
"Gonna guess he didn't do anything about that bite?" He asked, imagining that he'd try to fight any Feldruk that bit one of his children.   
"He was more worried about the creature's stress. I'm lucky I had my aunt, otherwise..." Laksa went quiet, just as another set of footsteps came down from the stairs.  
Voon raised the lights just slightly enough that they could see each other's faces.   
  
"Why you gotta talk about your dumb dad this early in the day?" Voon groggily asked, stalking toward the kitchen.  
Laksa shrugged. "It just came up."   
Voon rubbed her eyes, ignoring the remark, and started to rummage in the fridge. "You want somethin'?" She asked Talay.   
"I'll...get something back at my ship." Talay cleared his throat.   
"Better hope you have the chance to get out." Laksa warned.   
Talay shrank back anxiously, hugging Acai closer. Her hand came up from the collar to swat him lightly in the face in protest. He gripped it lightly to stop her, just as Goji and Holly were starting to wake up in earnest.   
"Your clothes should be dry when you're ready." Laksa pointed above the heating element where everything had been hung. He got up to retrieve his poet's shirt - and the watch from the faux mantle.  
  
"I'll be waiting to escort you out when you're ready to go." He returned to his loft.   
Talay watched his ascent in uncomfortable silence, as Acai slid out from the shirt, looking far more settled. Holly was the first to take her place, leaving Goji to pout.   
Once again, Voon was watching, as she sipped from a bowl of 'cereal'. "I thought they went all at once?" She asked, wiping the cereal milk from her lip.   
As if that made her observation more uncomfortable.   
"Yesterday was...unusual for them." He cuddled Goji into his arm while she waited. "At this point, they take turns." He patted her head.   
Voon didn't say anything. She raised a brow and invested in finishing her own breakfast.   
  
Laksa returned, dressed and pinning the broken watch to his shirt over his heart. Noticing Talay wasn't done yet, he joined Voon in the kitchen, retrieving some purple speckled eggs.  
"You're sure you don't want anything?" He asked as he started peeling the shell off one of the eggs.  
"I'll be fine." Talay declined. "Once Goji's had hers, I'll be leaving."  
"Suit yourself." Laksa shrugged, biting into the hard boiled egg. 

Talay didn't bother to redress the children in the clothes that were hung to dry - Voon even gave permission to keep the scarves. "They're old, anyway." She remarked.  
Old scarves that had some royal insignia on them, Talay noticed. He was surprised she was giving them away so flagrantly, especially if they had come from within family that she no longer had. Laksa didn't even seem to notice, even as they left the caravan into the darkened mechanics bay. Voon stayed behind, climbing back up to the loft, claiming to still be tired.

They emerged into the street as a light, warm drizzle washed over it. The children whined and grumbled behind him, huddling around his legs.   
"We'll be okay. We'll have a nice bath when we get home and then--" Talay stopped, noticing Lard Nar racing down the sloping street, charging at Laksa with a battle cry. He slid to a stop, reeling a fist back, ready to throw it at Laksa's face.   
  
Laksa, however, anchored his legs and stopped Lard Nar's fist with an open palm. Just as Lard Nar registered what happened, Laksa snatched his wrist and twisted his arm backwards, spinning him around.   
"I'll thank you to not come charging at me after I kept your friend and his children from freezing to death out here." He hissed.   
Lard Nar tried to squirm loose, but was gripped by the other wrist.  
"Nar, calm down, we're safe! He didn't do anything!" Talay grabbed Lard Nar's shoulders as he tried to buck his legs backwards.   
"You are...not a good fighter." Laksa remarked. With a click of his tongue, he let Lard Nar loose.   
He stumbled away, rubbing his wrists indignantly, just as Udon started to come down from the hill.   
  
Laksa backed off with a low gasp. "Oh."   
"Laksa." Udon greeted him lowly. "Come for Tomkha?" She asked.  
"Well, I came to fix the magnet in my door after one of those pirates broke into my caravan. But yes, I would be much obliged for you and Tomkha to join me." Laksa crossed his arms.   
Udon tossed a small stack of raincoats she was carrying to Talay, who was quickly aided by Lard Nar in getting them on the children.   
"You know I can't do that." She sighed.   
"And I know it has to be this way." Laksa folded his fingers together. "For the sake of all of us."   
  


Talay listened as he slipped through his own raincoat and gathered the children around himself.   
"You can't stay by the Irkens, not after what they've done!" Udon reached for Laksa, who took a few steps backwards.   
"I stay because I know what they _can_ do. And they've given me a way to protect us all!"  
Lard Nar cast raised brow to Talay, as the children anxiously clung to his legs amid the noise of the bickering.   
"Wait, stop! How do you know each other?” Talay interrupted before Udon could interject.  
They both stood quietly for a moment. Udon glanced away in shame.  
  
“Udon is my aunt.” Laksa answered lowly.   
"Your what?" Talay glanced between the two of them, struggling to spot similarities. Not much besides the tone of their coats. But he remembered the portrait of Laksa's father; _they_ looked similar. "You're his--" Talay pointed at Laksa, gawking at Udon.  
“HE’S the nephew you raised?” Lard Nar remembered what she had said while caring for Donyx.  
Udon nodded. "He is." She affirmed.

“Auntie." Laksa's voice changed to a low plea. "Please…” Laksa extended his arm, ignoring Lard Nar and Talay’s further questions.  
“Laksa! Don’t do this!” She stepped away. “Please, you could have done so much more, but this...how is this helping?”  
“They already killed Khagai! I can’t let the same thing happen to his son.”  
“Neither could I.” Udon bit her lip. “But I’m not the one who could put him in harm’s way.”   
Lard Nar stepped between them, arms extended to keep them separated.  
"Okay, this is some very serious family business that shouldn't be happening in the rain, while children are bound to catch colds! _And we don't want that for them right now!_" He pulled one hand away from Laksa, not wanting to be thrown aside.

Laksa's breathing had become heavy.   
"If you want the boy safe, you should leave now." Laksa warned, pointing upwards. "Don't stick around to find out why." He spun on his heel and stalked back into the mechanics bay.   
When he was back inside, Talay stooped down to console his children, as they broke the silence to all complain about the rain at once.   
"Okay, each of you pick up a kid." Talay sighed, scooping Holly off the ground. "I'm not making them walk up the cliff while it's wet."   
Lard Nar nodded, passing Acai to Udon while he held Goji to his shoulder.   
  
They ascended back to the large ship hanger in silence, save for the grumblings of the children.  
"I learned something from Laksa." Talay quietly told Lard Nar.  
"What, that his aunt has been living with us for a week and she never told us?" Lard Nar hissed.  
"No, something else." He was about to reveal all, but as he scratched the back of his head, he felt his coat had gone crisp from standing in the rain and not properly being cleaned out.  
  
"But, I need a shower and the kids need a bath." Talay lifted a finger. "And we need to eat. We make a plan then."   
Lard Nar breathed out a long sigh. "Fine, keep me hanging on something that might be important. Also, here's your comlink." He unhooked it from the side of his belt and tossed it to him. "It was by your bath."   
"Yeah, I realized that." Talay caught it, and then led the children to their bath, with Udon not far behind.  
  
"We've cleaned up the glass and took doors from some empty rooms to replace the ones that were destroyed." She told him as they entered their cabin.   
"Thanks." Talay started to approach his door. He stopped, hand on the handle.   
"Why didn't you tell us about Laksa?" He asked quietly.  
Udon folded her arms together glumly. "It...didn't seem appropriate to. There's so much history that, at this stage..."   
Talay slowly nodded. "Yeah, makes sense." He looked over his shoulder.  
"Is it true that...his father's feldruk bit him on the shoulder?" He asked.  
Udon's expression became sullen. "Laksa tripped into it when he was four years old. He had to be consoled by a stall keeper while his father calmed down that terrible animal."   
Not much older than his own children. And if it were Donyx in that place...? Talay felt a surge through his body thinking of it.  
"How could that even..." Talay cracked the door open so the children could rush into the bedroom.   
"My brother was never the nurturing type." Udon sounded weary. "He never wanted children, but he still refused to let me completely adopt him."   
  
Talay turned around. "Where's Donyx?" He asked quietly.   
"Ixane's got him for the moment. I was planning on getting him while you cleaned up." Udon explained.   
"Okay." Talay nodded. "Could you bring him to me when I'm done?" He asked before entering the bedroom, where the children were playing on the floor.   
"Of course." Udon turned to surprise from her previous somber tone.   
"Thanks." Talay shut the door carefully and started to run some warm water in the bath, leaving the children to play.  
The mirror had been replaced from where it had been cracked. It had not been covered by a towel as the previous had.   
  
Talay noticed his reflection. He still looked tired and ragged. His coat was dried crisp from being out in the rain.   
He was barely brighter. But his eyes were still sunken and creased. He still looked frail and thin.  
He covered the mirror with a new towel.   
  
  


It was a pleasant surprise that the children enjoyed their bath. They played in the soap bubbles and the cup Talay used to rinse them off. After getting drenched in rain, Talay had thought they would have resisted further exposure to water. So long as it was still and warm, he supposed.   
After they were cleaned up and finally placed in fresh clothes, they rushed away to play with Tomkha.  
An opportunity to freshen up. Time to prepare for the prospect of holding Donyx for the first time in days.  
He'd barely even looked at Donyx since that humiliating blender incident.   
  
And Laksa called him a good father...

He found a fresh jumpsuit ready. This one had clips at the shoulder rather than a fold over the chest.   
Time would tell if it made things easier.   
Fresh and dressed, Talay returned to the den where Udon was supervising the children while she held Donyx. Ixane must have delivered him and left.  
He sat on the couch with her in silence.   
Without a word, Udon placed something in his hand.   
He noticed it was a long fang.   
"He shed his egg tooth while you were washing up." She had a finger in his mouth. "And I give him a pacifier during the night." She added. Donyx was clutching her hand with both of his.   
"How's he doing with that?" Talay asked.   
"Well, it's helped his palate. I've noticed it was flat. Likely an Irken trait." She shrugged. "But now that the tooth is out, he seems more comfortable." She drew her finger out.   
Talay reached to take him as she passed him over, blanket and all. 

Donyx crackled for just a moment, then settled when secured. Talay watched him open his eyes. His beady ruby eyes. He forced himself to look past anything that reminded him of Irkens. Of Zim. He rested a finger on his cheek and felt a familiar coarse fuzz. He hadn't noticed it the first day. Perhaps because he was so zoned out from how terribly it had gone. Now that the tooth had fallen out...he could identify little Vortian features. The shape of the face, the look of his toothless mouth. He couldn't see his legs under the blanket he was wrapped in, but he knew they were there.   
And yet...why did it matter so much if he had a few Irken traits?   
It wasn't like he had demanded to exist; he had even less choice in his creation than Talay had - and he had none.   
  


“Hey, kid…” Talay touched Donyx's cheek. “Sorry I’ve been distant. If this whole experience messes you up in the future...it’s not your fault.”  
He anxiously touched his little finger to Donyx's lips, wondering, and to some extent - hoping, that he'd try to suck it. And when he did, he wasn't incredibly strong.  
Not strong enough to nurse if there ever came a chance for that. He could feel the roof of his mouth was barely concave.   
"Well...no wonder you were so frantic, huh?" Talay pressed in gently. "I bet that bowl's a lot easier for you."   
"He's already had his first for the day." Udon told him as he started to fall asleep. "And a little bit of a bottle." She added.   
"Good for him." Talay pulled his finger back gently and laid him back with Udon. "I'm going to get a bite for myself, and the girls if they want anything." He rose from the couch, and walked for the door.   
The triplets jumped after him, teetering after in a line like ducklings, not even needing to be called.   
  
  
  
  
Lork's escape pod came down a good distance from the beach. He jumped out from it and didn't take a moment to recover from his landing; he just ran as quickly as he could toward the small village in the distance, up a cliff.   
Blar didn't like to attract attention, especially if there were obstacles in the way, or if there were crowds. He liked easy targets that went down quietly without a fuss.   
Populated areas were the complete opposite; they were the perfect hiding spot.  
The Satellite of Huug was a perfect place for recon in establishing where supplies were coming from and what the vulnerabilities were.   
Lork wasn't interested in finding out how Blar knew he and his crew were targeting Serrish ships, but so long as he was close...might as well do something useful for his comrades. Especially if the captain was dying.   
  
Canon fire started to rain down on him, in the midst of the actual rain.   
Lork realized that Blar would have fixed his Soup Cruiser's canons by now. Some months ago, he'd left Blar a gift of multiple forks within the canons, jamming them.   
His options for hideaways were limited on the open field. There was only one escape - the green ocean over the cliff.   
Lork activated his pack legs to hasten his escape. Canon fire continued after him, stopping only when Lork launched himself into the water. The legs were quickly replaced with a breathing mask. Lork cleared his body of air before impact - he couldn't risk finding out of Irkens could get the Bends today. He disappeared into the water and let the current wash him to shore, concealed beneath the waves and curtain of rain.   
  
Blar slammed his fist on the console of his ship; he should have expected Lork to run for the water. He couldn't see him underneath the depths. Perhaps if it wasn't raining.   
There was always a chance that the water could have had some degree of pollution, searing Lork's flesh and letting that become his downfall.   
Lork, however, made a swim for the beach. He scrambled out onto the sand unscathed, but was now within enough territory that he could not be destroyed quietly.   
"Little slime." Blar snarled. "Now the waiting game comes again."   
A beacon began to signal from the communications screen. Blar huffed and answered the call. Another Irken filled the screen.  
  
He was square and squat, with a protruding under bite chin.   
"Invader Krunk calling Officer Blar, what are you doing on my planet?" The Irken had a baritone voice.  
"Chasing a defector who's escaped to 'your' planet. Since when has Serrish been marked for Invasion?" Blar crossed his arms.   
"Since now." Klunk retorted. "Why don't you take care of your traitor as soon as possible and get off? I've got something to plant." He furrowed as a tall Vortian forced his way to the screen.  
"And a ride to drop off!" The Vortian waved. "How's your little manhunt going, Blar?" He laughed at Blar's ever-deepening frustration. "Ah, you can just drop us close to that little mechanic's hub, it's where I'm headed." He gestured with his thumb.  
"I'm an Invader, not a chauffeur." Krunk grumbled.   
  
"You won't be when we leave." The Vortian disappeared from the screen.   
Krunk cleared his throat.   
"Anyway, this place is gonna take its time to go up, but you should still get your job done."   
Blar could see a Spittle Cruiser start to emerge from the clouds before turning invisible. Not a bad idea...  
He veered his ship toward a cave system he had noticed in flight, at another beach at the backside of the cliff. It would be a trek to the community, but it was a good enough hiding place for his ship.  
  
Invasion!   
Why wasn't he told?! Who didn't tell him!?   
"LUCY, did you know there was going to be an Invader coming to Serrish?!" He watched LUCY stare out for a moment, then shake with a little spark in one of its joints.   
"Message recorded!" It produced a wire from a latch on the top of its head, which plugged into a port on the Soup Cruiser. A little hologram of an Irken around Blar's age appeared.   
"Officer Blar! This is Captain Kooz, commanding you get that pirate out of the Serrish boundary! I've just learned the Tallest have sent Invader Krunk to the planet for conquest! Apparently they want one tiny beach and want tot empty out the whole planet. Don't dawdle! You've both got jobs to do and I don't want you wasting his time!"   
The hologram cut out.  
"Why didn't you show me this before?" Blar rubbed each side of his face.  
"Didn't ask." LUCY responded bluntly.   
Blar forgot it didn't have space in its machinery for a free will upgrade.   
"Well. Then we make due." He slid into a cove and climbed out of the ship. "This is our base for now, then. Better find Lork quickly, then." He cast on his Vortian disguise.  
  
It was going to be a rough climb up. Just because his legs now looked like they were built for climbing, it would do him no good.   
Especially when the rain showed no sign of stopping.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you see the hints??? The fairly obvious hints???
> 
> Krunk is just...Patrick Warbourton voiced. He looks it.


	18. Bad News and More

_ It was a ridiculous request.  _

_ Bio-engineering wasn't even Prisoner 777's game. But some fool wanted 'plants' that would spread like a virus across an organic surface. Perhaps something of a plant cyborg would suffice. Roots that would spread deep into soil, vines that could crawl and bloom and spread further roots. They would be triggered to grow by mineral and water content sensed by the engineered programming within, sending the message to the flower and vines to grow. And grow. _

_ Something like the ivy that took over his childhood home one summer. Back when he wore a ribbon on his horn. _

_ He wished he could put ribbons on his daughters' horns, glimpsing to watch them play on the floor with large screws he was sure they weren't going to accidentally swallow.  _

_ There were children like his out there in the universe. Parents like him.  _

_ As if being complicit in the creation of the Massive was bad enough.  _

_ All he could do was subtly rebel. He could hand over control of the Massive to Zim. He could give him volatile doomsday devices for the creation of a new "sidekick", and not question why he needed one.  _

_ Maybe he could have a chance at protecting those families instead of destroying them.  _

_ There just needed to be some kind of ironic weakness. _

_ Megadoomers didn't hide their operators when invisible, had unreliable battery, and a power cord with limited distance.  _

_ Heavy element ray blasters could infect impulsive handlers - and took time to recharge, leaving an already weakened Invader vulnerable. _

_ Talay had designed the Massive's weak spot to be the snack compartment - a decision made when Tallests Red and Purple took charge.  _

_ These plants needed something that could backfire on an Irken that used them. _

** _Maybe..._ **

_ Just as he finished his proposal and sent it up a delivery shaft, he saw Zim approach his cell, flanked by a pair of guards.  _

Blar paced as he watched Krunk, disguised as a Sherrishoid (though he was only covering his arms and legs with cone-like shields and wearing a finned hat), dig out a patch of muddy soil and drop an avocado pit-sized seed into the hole. His new base wasn’t far from the residences that stood on the opposite side of the cliff where he had landed his ship - now where Krunk was busy with his plan.    
“So what is...this?” He pointed and circled his finger.    
  
“Just my brilliant plan for domination. Had an idea and made the Vort engineers make something real out of it.” Krunk covered over the seed.    
“Gonna poison the air after it kills the soil.” He pointed up.   
“Wouldn’t soil degeneration crumble the cliff?” Blar raised a brow.    
Krunk’s eyes bugged a little. “Oh! I guess it’ll do that too!” He laughed and clapped a muddy glove on Blar’s back with a heavy  _ whump _ . “Good thinking!”    
  
“Well, while you’re off gardening…” A new voice piped up.    
Blar noticed a tall, lanky Vortian emerge from Krunk’s spittle cruiser in a thick pink raincoat and boots. A tiny Irken, just barely out of smeethood, clambered out with him.    
“We’ll be off to visit a  _ very _ special someone.” The Vortian popped open a clear umbrella with a glittery silver trim. He carried a small rectangular box under his arm with the umbrella.

“Alright, just don’t bug me while you’re doing it.” Krunk waved dismissively.    
  


The Vortian laughed as he trotted away. “Lucky for you, you won’t be seeing me at all.” He stopped and reached for the Irken. “Come on, Kat, we don’t want you getting stuck in the mud.”    
  
“I’m trying not to!” The curly antennae-d Irken wailed after him. “It’s slippery!”    
Dolly stopped and crouched down to her level. “Would it be undignified if I carried you?” He asked.   
Kat’s face scrunched indecisively. “In front of them, yeah.” She pointed her thumb to Blar and Krunk behind them.   
  
“Then we’ll get out of their line of sight.” Dolly nodded and stood back up. He grasped the young Irken’s hand to help her keep up with his long strides. “Now, put your hood up, we don’t want anyone knowing you’re an Irken.” 

“Now we just wait for it to grow!” Krunk dramatically extended his arms to the soil patch.    
Nothing happened.   
“Any minute now…” He swirled the cones on his arms. “Aaaany minute.”    
Nothing happened still.    
  
Krunk and Blar stared silently at the patch.    
LUCY, standing next to Blar, equally quiet, sparked at the seam of its shoulder joint momentarily as it soaked in the rain. It shivered spastically. But only for a moment.   
Blar shoved his hands in his coat pockets impatiently.    
Krunk’s arms hung lax, eyes unmoving from the patch. “I should get some coffee.” 

  
  


Dolly found the path that lead to the beach, liberating himself and the small Irken from the grass and mud they had to trek through away from Krunk’s newly set up base.    
He held his tongue, but was still thoroughly displeased. At least he had the advantage of touching as little of the ground as possible - poor Kat had her boots nearly caked in mud and complained without end about it.   
“Oh, they’re rubber, they’re protecting the shoes that matter. Not that it would be a problem, you know how Laksa is about shoes in his caravan.” Dolly tried to assure her. “They’ll get cleaned out.”    
  
He took the curve around the beach path, and found the small ships mechanics.    
And a familiar face.    
Laksa was waiting under a covered bench, wrapped in his coat.   
His fatigued expression switched to a bright levity as soon as he noticed Dolly’s approach. 

“Oh, you’re here!” He jumped and nearly tripped over his own legs with the excitement of seeing him. “Where...did you leave from?” He stumbled over like a child taking their first steps, grasping Dolly’s sleeve for balance.    
  
Dolly laughed warmly. “Well, it was a good walk away.” He rubbed his thumb on Laksa’s cheek in greeting. Laksa barely reached Dolly’s chest in height, and so he had to stoop slightly to give him a kiss on the lips.   
“Uuugh, can we go in yet?” Kat mumbled a whine, rolling her eyes. “Where’s Voon at?”    
“Voon’s inside, getting some more sleep. Our...guests were unsettled and kept her up.” Laksa grasped Dolly’s hand and started to lead him into the small ships mechanics. “I’m afraid the door’s been removed for repair.” He pointed to the temporary door that had been set in place. 

“Is she gonna be up soon?” Kat asked, pulling off her boots and the shoes underneath, then scurried to the futon that was still laying flat with its blankets. She threw the lightest one over herself.    
“Knowing how she sleeps after an all-nighter? Probably not.” Laksa sighed as the mechanic pushed aside his seat to allow them in, the temporary door wide open.    
“Then can I watch your screen while you hang out in Laksa’s room?” Kat pointed at the entertainment shelf.    
  
Laksa’s expression dropped, looking aside with a blush. “Ah, I--I don’t think we’ll be...doing that so quickly.” He cleared his throat, and walked into the kitchen, opposite of the dining bench where Dolly was now sitting.    
“But yes, you can do that. You know how it works.” Laksa picked up his sherry bottle, preparing to open it.   
  
“At this time of day?” Dolly pointed.    
Laksa shrugged and put it aside. “Well, would you prefer tea?” He asked.    
“Hm! Yes, actually.” Dolly folded his fingers together and rested an arm on the bench.   
As Kat busied herself with finding something to watch, Laksa filled a kettle.    
“So...which Invader did you ride with? By the way, you scared my guest with that news.” He set it on the stove.    
  
“Krunk. Not exactly the easiest to entertain, at least not by my style..” Dolly took a mug Laksa was offering him.   
“The...one that took over a planet with a  _ flower _ ? Didn’t the Tallest make him a laughing stock for that?” Laksa opened up a box of tea selections for Dolly to pick from.    
“Nah, he’s got his pride. He’s just going to try over and over until they respect his technique.” He pulled his choice from the box. “He’s doing it here. First thing he did after setting up his base.” 

“And he’s doing this...on  _ Serrish _ ? On this part of Serrish?” Laksa raised a brow, tearing open his own selection and dropping it in his mug.   
“Might be figuring this is the perfect climate.” Dolly shrugged.   
“Dolly, it froze last night!” Laksa pointed up. “It freezes with every rain this time of year, like the last time I was here, when…” He stopped. “...when I was a young man.” He cleared his throat uncomfortably.    
Dolly crossed his arms and legs. “Oh. Well, I see your point.” He looked over his shoulder when Kat found something to watch.    
  
“I do feel terrible for that family I met. Especially since they’re living with some rebels. My aunt and the prince are with them too.” Laksa started pouring out the water when it was ready.    
“The father had been in prison for some time, and the children were so gangly.” He stirred the bag a little in its water.    
  
“Your point?” Dolly asked.   
“They might not survive the plant. Unless I do them a favor and take them off Serrish myself.” Laksa came around from the kitchen and sat by Dolly. “Them....and my aunt and the prince.” He looked around the caravan. “I don’t exactly have the space for all of them…” He realized. 

“Otherwise, we can easily knock off a rebellion. Especially since they’re the ones that tried to attack the Massive when it lost control.”    
  
“Don’t remind me!” Dolly cringed. “I lost a lot of perfectly good crystal decor - especially the sentimental ones.”   
“Dolly, you broke a rib.” Laksa raised a brow.    
“That got better! You know what doesn’t? Heirlooms!” Dolly turned the seat to face Laksa. “Anyway, I’m not here to talk about Krunk’s Murder Gardening.I’m here to be with you.” He cupped a hand under Laksa’s chin. “I’ve missed you.”    
  
He smiled, noticing Laksa’s breathing becoming quicker and heavier.   
“I’ve missed you too, Dolly darling.” He moved Dolly’s hand to his cheek. “I had to see Smilax on the Satellite.” He sighed.   
“Oh no.” Dolly drifted to touching the center of Laksa’s hips. “Did you get hurt?” He asked.    
“I was protecting Voon from someone who shouldn’t have even approached her.” Laksa laced his fingers in Dolly’s other hand. “There was a fight. Blar finished him off for me.” He sipped from his tea - and added a little sweetener. 

“Oh, and you had to go to your ex.” Dolly kissed him between the eyes.   
“It didn’t go over well.” Laksa clasped his side.    
“Poor dear.” Dolly patted his shoulder. He noticed Kat crane around to scowl sourly at them.    
“Why don’t we take our drinks up and not embarrass my little apprentice anymore than we have?” He suggested.   
“That’d be nice!” Kat squawked.    
  
Dolly chuckled and rose from his seat; his horns almost touched the ceiling. “Let’s get upstairs, then.”    
Laksa grasped his hand, carrying his drink in the other, and led Dolly upstairs. He went so far as to clip his sound barrier curtain shut.

  
  
  


Lard Nar found Talay at the kitchen table, cutting a pair of sandwiches into quartered triangles   
He could see the children’s eyes peeking over the table as they watched him.   
Talay had just finished and passed each of them a section when Lard Nar took a seat on the opposite side of the table.   
“So...you’re back here.” Lard Nar looked around.   
“It’s just us and G’raggo.” Talay pointed to G’raggo, who was cooking scrambled eggs at the stove.

“I promised him I wouldn’t run the blender!” G’raggo waved a hand while he stirred with the other, briefly letting go of the skillet. 

“Have you eaten yet?” Talay asked. “I don’t think the kids are going to want the other sandwich parts.” He offered him part of the sandwich.    
“First thing I did when I woke up was go looking for you.” Lard Nar accepted it, having already been helping himself to the cut crusts.    
  
“I don’t think you would have been able to do anything even if you knew where I was.” Talay wiped some jam off Holly’s cheek. “With how fast the weather turned, you wouldn’t have been able to get us.”    
“Well, I would have LIKED to at least know you were safe!” Lard Nar exclaimed.    
“I probably would have stayed in the cafe if Laksa hadn’t found me.” Talay shrugged.   
“Or Laksa could have held you hostage in exchange for the prince.” Lard Nar slouched forward, arms crossed on the table.    
“Where would he have kept me? His caravan is tiny. I slept on his couch.” Talay finished off his slice of the sandwich - just as G’raggo was sliding a plate of scrambled eggs to him.

Lard Nar grumbled. “But why’s he here?” He asked.    
“Oh, a pirate broke into his ship and ruined the magnet on his door.” Talay explained. “Told his boyfriend that Voon shot him in the leg.”    
Lard Nar raised a brow. “Did she? Didn’t expect that from what I saw of her.” He took another slice of the sandwich after finishing his. “From the impression I got, I’m not surprised she didn’t try to run away with the pirate.”    
  
Talay nearly questioned it, but was distracted by Goji trying to stretch over the table for a handful of the eggs.   
“Hey sweetie, let’s not.” Talay gently grasped her palm. She rambled off incoherent whines and protests at the restraint - but stopped when a forkful of the egg was offered to her.    
She leaned in, mouth opened slightly...and she snatched it off the fork with her hand and shoved it in her mouth.   
  
“Well, I tried.” Talay shrugged, and offered a portion to Holly, who had finished her slicel.    
Acai was nibbling contentedly on her slice, in no rush to hurry.    
  
Lard Nar cleared his throat.   
“Well, I’ll be speaking with the mechanics about offering our services in fixing the canons. All we need is the plans, but since we’re here, we’ll need all the help we can get.” He rapped his knuckles on the table anxiously.   
“I mean, there’s the matter of paying for the things too.” Talay noted. “We’ve got enough monies, don’t we?”    
Lard Nar swallowed at his tone - which suggested the possibility that there might not be.    
  
“I’ll...speak with the chief mechanic when I meet him.” He fumbled his fingers together.   
“Good.” Talay nodded. “Because Laksa’s boyfriend called while I was there and said an Invader was coming.”    
“His  _ WHAT  _ said  _ WHO _ ?” Lard Nar jumped in alarm.    
“Boyfriend. Invader.” Talay snapped his fingers together for Lard Nar to lower his tone.   
  
“Why’s an Invader coming here?” G’raggo stormed to the table from where he was prepping more eggs at the counter.    
“Why do they go  _ anywhere _ ?!” Lard Nar grabbed his horns anxiously. “When were you going to tell me there was an Invader coming? What if it’s already here?!”    
  


Talay sipped from a glass of a neon pink juice. “You’ll know when you see a weirdly long Vortian running around. He was coming with the Invader to see Laksa.”    
“The only long Vortian I can think of is my brother, and I know he wouldn’t have the sense to keep running around with Irkens with the way our mothers raised us!” Lard Nar started to pace.   
  
“Oh yeah, you did have a tall brother. All I remember was other kids calling him Lumpy.”    
“I haven’t seen Lumpia since that incident when someone tried to poison Miyuki.” Lard Nar huffed. “He might as well be dead now…”   
He looked at Talay. “Well, now what do I do?”    
“I’ll talk to the engineer with you.” Talay sighed. “Once they bring us the plans.” He split out more of the eggs between his children, realizing now that there was no stopping them from snatching off his plate with their bare hands. 

“Aren’t the plans all we need to begin with?” Lard Nar asked.    
“Could be charged for stowage.” Talay suggested.    
  
Lard Nar grumbled and tapped his fingers across the table anxiously.    
Goji stared at him for a moment, then stretched her arm out at him. “Eat!” She strained, dropping her fistful of scrambled eggs inadvertently.    
“N...no thank you.” Lard Nar shook his head, noticing Talay covering his mouth, eyes watering as he fought back a laugh with his whole body.    
“Ahh, sweetie, Nar can get his own.” Talay patted her shoulders the tips of his fingers.    
“He’s angy!” Goji retorted, pointing at Lard Nar.   
  
Lard Nar stood from his seat. “Thank you for the sandwiches, I will be going to my quarters.” He awkwardly clomped out of the kitchen.    
“That man can’t handle stress.” G’raggo shook his head.   
“Oh, you should have seen him during finals!” Talay wiped up the dropped eggs into a napkin. “That...was scary.” He remembered. 

Lard Nar was trying to hurry to his quarters so he could collect himself, but was immediately found by Spleenk and Schloonktapooxis.    
“Heya, Captain! The head mechanic’s wanting to talk to you!” Schloonktapooxis shouted directly behind his head. 

He jumped with a startled shriek. “He what? About the Invader!?” He blurted.   
“...The what?” Spleenk nervously asked.    
“Never mind!” Lard Nar anxiously whipped his head around, hoping that no one else heard. “Never mind, just let me through to the head mechanic.” Lard Nar circled around them, heading away from his quarters now.

He exited the ship through the bridge and found a trio of Serrishoids looking over some paper blueprints.   
“Hey! You the captain?” The oldest of the Serrishoids called out.    
“I am.” Lard Nar approached.    
“I thought you were! Only a Vortian could scrap all this together and get it to space!  _ But’cha can’t fix our canons?” _ _   
_ “We didn’t have complete plans for them. Which is why we’re here.” Lard Nar pointed at the blueprints.   
The Serrishoid mechanic crossed his arms. “You might as well replace them entirely.”   
  
Lard Nar turned around to look at his ship.    
“It...would probably be kinder on our own monies to just fix the canons as they are.” He remembered what Talay had said. And was now pursuing without Talay.   
“And...and if we provide our own man power to help…” Lard Nar started to anxiously fumble his fingers. “And if Talay feels like he can lend a hand…”   
  
The Serrishoids looked between each other as Lard Nar started to ramble.    
“Why don’t you let us take a look?” The head mechanic awkwardly backed off. “If you need anything, I’m Shujal.” He rolled up the blueprints. “You uh...you figure things out. And you should power down the whole ship so we can start some work.”   
  
Lard Nar sighed. “We have five children on the ship.” He said, “One of them is a newborn. I guess.”    
  
Donyx hadn’t exactly been  _ born _ .   
  


“We got inns. Lots of ‘em beachside. If the kids need a place with power, arrangements can be made.” Shujal pointed down the cliffside.   
Just one more thing. Talay had just gotten settled into his new space; as if he needed to be moved from it again.   
“I suppose I’ll have to let the crew know.” Lard Nar huffed.”I’ll be right back.” 

“That guy needs a nap, I tell you.” Shujal shook his head. 

Lard Nar was undoing his comlink from its holster, setting it to call all of the Resisty. “Right, everyone wrap up what you’re doing! The mechanic’s opening up the canons, so the whole ship has to be powered down!”    
He stopped halfway up the stairs. “Because they can’t work on the canons with the power on!” He shouted with exasperation. “It’s dangerous, Spleenk!” He pushed his goggles up to rub between his eyes. “Because someone could get fried!” He groaned as Spleenk’s questions kept coming. 

  
He put it away as he entered the bridge, finding a good portion of the crew there, all watching him expectantly.    
He took a deep breath. “There’s inns in the town if you need to be there. I’m going to make sure Talay and Udon know so they can get the children safe.” His tone was exhausted. “We have worse things to discuss when we’re done.”    
  
He left the crew to decide among themselves where to go - though they focused more on concerns about Lard Nar seeming overwhelmed.    


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been going through some stuff, but I finally managed to throw something together for a chapter update. Just wanted to get some next things in place.


	19. Planting Problems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This feels a little sloppy, but I was just...done not being sure what to do with this chapter.

Lard Nar shook as he returned to the kitchen. If there was one thing, there was another.   
Laksa was on the planet; he had a guest.   
An Invader was on the planet; the ship had to be completely shut down, removing all possible defences.   
There were five children more than he ever expected to have on the ship; and now they all had to be relocated. 

**  
** Udon happened to be coming to the kitchen with Tomkha, with Donyx in her arm, spotting Lard Nar as he approached from the opposite side of the hallway.   
“I heard your announcement.” She said. “What are we going to do with the children?”   
Lard Nar pushed the kitchen door open for her. “We’ll talk with Talay about it.” He murmured as Tomkha pushed through to join Talay at the table.   
  
G’raggo was sitting with him now, with Holly on his lap as he helped Talay to clean their faces after their breakfast.   
“So. No power? Should’ve seen that coming, Nar.” Talay passed Goji to Udon almost immediately so he could focus on Acai. “And right when I was going to get them to their morning nap.” He took a damp towel and started wiping Acai’s face, starting with the top of her head and down to the smears of her sandwich around her mouth. She sat still, unlike Holly who was still squirming in G’raggo’s hand and trying to get to the floor.

“I heard there were inns and--” Lard Nar started.  
“Laksa mentioned a B&B on the beach. Might look into that one.” Talay let Acai go, then came around to help G’raggo with Holly.   
“You sure you want to take his word” Lard Nar raised a brow as Udon passed Donyx to him.   
“I mean, we have a judge of character.” He pointed his thumb at her.   
“He’d know it. He’s been here before.” Udon had started making a sandwich for Tomkha - but was allowing him to attempt smearing on some of the fruit jam himself.   
  
“He has?” Talay asked.   
“He fought in the war here, many years ago. For Tallest Miyuki.” Udon folded the sandwich together and sliced in half.   
Tomkha was extending his hands to take the plate from her. “Thank you!” He repeated constantly until he had the plate, which he carried to the table with the others.   
“Right…” Talay set Holly on the floor to play with her sisters. His first instinct was to help Tomkha into a chair, but he scrambled into it on his own.   
  
He shrugged. “Well! If that little B&B is an option…” He leaned back into the seat. “We’ll look into it.”

“What about…” Lard Nar anxiously looked between G’raggo and Udon. “Should they be the first to know?” He asked.   
“About…?” Talay gave a little anxious nod. “Invader?” He mouthed.   
Lard Nar nodded.   
“Yeah.” Talay watched Udon start to give Donyx a bottle. 

He drummed the table with his fingers anxiously. Then held an arm out.  
“It’s time I tried again with him.” He awkwardly pronounced.   
“Oh! Do you want the bottle?” Udon asked as she placed Donyx with him, keeping it balanced on his mouth, having just figured out keeping it secure.   
“Uh, yeah.” Talay gripped the bottle. “I’m...still probably going to be a bit.”   
  
“Hey! What was it you were going to tell us?” G’raggo broke the uncomfortable lull Talay was about to settle into.   
Lard Nar glanced at Talay, and then back to G’raggo - and Udon as she was able to prepare her own food.   
“There’s an Invader coming to Serrish.” He cleared his throat.   
“What!? Which one?!” G’raggo slammed his hands on the table - the impact loud enough to startle the triplets and Tomkha.   
Donyx was so alarmed that he lost the already limited grip he had on the bottle, crying out in distress. 

G’raggo awkwardly pulled his fists back, seeing Talay’s expression fall to an anxious exhaustion. He stood with Donyx to his shoulder and tried to pace with him as he had with the triplets during a fit.   
Lard Nar nearly stepped over in hopes to offer help, but Udon had gone to him first, setting down all of her food preparation - and as the triplets were rushing to Talay for comfort.   
  
“We don’t know who the Invader is.” Lard Nar turned to an increasingly humbled G’raggo.   
“But Talay and I met someone who has a connection that does.”   
“So, let’s get to this guy and find out.” G’raggo smashed a fist to his hand.   
“Oh, one problem at a time...if we’re going to have any success with the Invader, we need to at least make sure we have functioning weapons!” Lard Nar looked back at Talay and the children. “And that means making sure the smallest of us are somewhere secure while we don’t have power.” 

G’raggo growled lowly. “Still wanna know who it is.” He crossed his arms. “Hope it’s the guy that wrecked my planet, so I can tear his pak out and smash it."  
  
“Let’s just get the kids out of the ship before we shut it down!” Lard Nar clenched the sides of his head.   
“We’ll need some bags.” Talay remarked.   
“I’ll pack.” Udon sighed. “You worry about getting there, it’s a long trip down.”   
  
Talay huffed. “And I just got them calmed down from being out in the rain.” He went to gather them up. “Okay, we’re taking a little trip. We’ll get you some nice little coats before we go out again.”

It did not take much to coax them into raincoats that had been found on the Satellite of Huug. They might have been slightly oversized, but they would grow into them in time.   
Getting out of the ship again, however, was another matter.   
As soon as Talay brought them outside again, they all started to howl in protest - much to the annoyance of the Serrishoid mechanics that were preparing to open up the canons.

“Well, I should have seen that coming.” Talay sighed, stooping to pick up Acai - as he was already carrying Goji. Lard Nar followed him out to carry Holly.   
“We’ll have to wait for Udon on the way down.” He reminded him.   
“Yeah…” Talay sighed. “At least I can show you a nice bakery we went to yesterday.” 

“Then we’ll go there.” Lard Nar struggled to hold Holly over his shoulder.  
“Don’t restrain her.” Talay noted as he pulled up the hood on his own raincoat, using his horns as an anchor to keep it over his head.   
  


  
  
  


Laksa and Dolly had taken some time away from the ship to stand together at the cliffside, even in the drizzling rain. Some fresh air after their reunion was needed.  
Laksa stood huddled at Dolly’s side under the umbrella, with a thermos in his hand.

“A terrible shame about this planet.” Laksa sighed, taking a sip from the thermos. “That ocean looks perfectly good to take a boat on now that the rain’s calming down.” He pointed at the water, his expression turning melancholy.   
“The last time I did it here, I was with Ratha.” He reminisced. “Then we had to go to the mainland.” He rubbed a spot over his hip solemnly.   
  
“Does Voon know you’ve been here before?” Dolly asked, taking the thermos as it was offered.   
“She knows where everything happened; I’d say she just isn’t ready to talk about it.” Laksa shrugged.   
“Must be hard to be here, darling.” Dolly patted his shoulder.   
  
“Hrrm...yes, well...all the better for you to show up.” Laksa leaned in a little closer.   
“I don’t know about you, but there doesn’t seem to be a rush with Krunk’s gardening. And where’d Blar go?”   
“Probably off to chase the pirate.” Laksa grumbled.   
“Ooh, he’s here?” Dolly interlocked his fingers eagerly. “Finally, I can see one of those escapades you keep telling me about!”   
  
Laksa looked around the cliffside. “If we actually get a chance to see one of their little chases. They could be beyond the beach, weaponizing sand.” He chuckled lightly. “Ahh, but it won’t last. Once Krunk figures out that plant, this cliff for certain is done for. By then, my ship’s door should be fixed.” He looked at Dolly. “Perhaps you could come along with us this time?” He offered.   
  
“Better than riding back to the Massive with Krunk.” Dolly clicked his tongue. “Seemed more entertained by his SIR unit and all it did was play a recording on gardening tips.” He passed the thermos back to Laksa.   
  
“How boring was it?” Laksa prompted.   
“They guy talked about a leaf for ten minutes. Kat cried because she was so bored.” Dolly timed his explanation on Laksa choking on his sip of coffee from the thermos as he laughed.   
“Oh, Krunk can’t be that much of a bore!” He wheezed.   
Dolly gave his back a gentle thump. “Why do you think Kat was so cranky when she arrived?”   
“I thought that was just...Kat!”   
  
Dolly paused a moment. “Well...true. But she was also cranky from the flight over.”   
He took a pause of silence, wrapping his arm over Laksa’s shoulder.   
“So…boats, then?” 

  
  
  


  
Krunk stared at the patch where he had planted the seed, sipping his coffee with irritation as nothing seemed to budge. Not the slightest hint of germination. Perhaps it was too wet; at least this answered his question of what would happen with it in a damp climate.   
  
“Come on, come on, we’ve got an Invasion to do.” He grumbled. “Do I gotta get a climate alternator to make this work?” He kicked the grass a few times. “Grow already!”   
  
At that moment, the rain stopped.   
  
  
Halfway down the hill, Talay and Lard Nar stopped in the middle of the street as the clouds started to part and clear at a rapid rate.   
Lard Nar held his hand out even as the clear sky was revealed.   
“So much for our raincoats.” Talay groaned.

  
  


When Krunk noticed the rain had stopped, a sunbeam parted from the clouds and practically cast a ray of light directly on top of the dirt path where the seed was buried.  
“Well, that settles that--” Before he could finish, the earth exploded underneath him, sending cascades of soil across the diameter of the field he was standing on, launching him backwards against a rock face.   
  
He slid off it slowly and fell face-first on the ground, where he laid vacantly for a moment before activating his pak legs to haul himself back to his feet.   
“Looks like all I had to do was ask!” He dusted some dirt off of his uniform, then stood to admire the plant in front of him.   
“Yep.” He smacked his lips. 

  
  


The atmosphere changed quickly among the Serrishoid locals.   
Their anxiety was so obvious, it could be cut with a knife. Talay and Lard Nar noticed it quickly, as the Serrishoids all started to focus on a valley hill.   
“Huh. That’s a big flower.” Lard Nar observed.   
“Oh, no.” Talay gasped quietly. “ _ Oh no _ .” He moved Acai into the same arm he was carrying Goji in and grasped Lard Nar’s wrist. “We need to hurry.” His voice was urgent, but hushed.   
  
“Irken thing?” Lard Nar was confirmed with a slow nod.   
“What’s happened?” They heard Udon arrive, Donyx in arm and Tomkha trailing behind her.   
“A big flower popped out of the ground.” Lard Nar pointed.   
“And we’ll talk about it in privacy, but we have to hurry.” Talay was already starting to continue down the hill. “We don’t have time to stand around gawking, I’ll explain everything and we’ll make a plan, we just have to get there now!” He rambled off in a panic.   
  
“Well, I guess we’re in a bit more of a hurry than before.” Lard Nar shrugged and picked up his pace to follow him. Tomkha went chasing after, leaving Udon behind again.   
“I suppose now, it’s just you and me at a more leisurely pace.” Udon bobbed the barely awake Donyx in her arm before bringing up the rear. 

  
  
As Dolly kept his patience together while Laksa regaled him with the story of a boating trip with his father, he noticed an enormous clod of earth sail over their heads and splash into the ocean ahead of them - which Laksa promptly noticed, stopping mid sentence.   
  
Both Vortians slowly turned to look up the cliff where it had come from, seeing a massive blue flower blooming in the distance.   
“Oh.” Was all Dolly could muster.   
“That’s quite the gardening.” Laksa crossed his arms.   
“Well, let’s go and...get your door finished.” Dolly cleared his throat, beginning a return down to the beachside mechanic.   
  
As they returned, they just passed the other Vortians, crossing behind parallel sides of buildings just in time to miss one another.   
  
But just before the trio entered the tall mound that housed the Bed and Breakfast, Dolly could have sworn, just for a moment, that he recognized one of the Vortians. He shrugged it off; it wasn’t going to matter for the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But at least some problems are actually in motion!


	20. The Budding Issue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear not every chapter is going to be a plant pun...

It wasn’t worth bothering that the concierge of the Bed and Breakfast mistook Lard Nar and Talay for a married couple, travelling with their five children and mother to one of them. They hurried to the two bedded room - noticeably built for Serrishoid sensibilities in their shell-like shape.    
  
Talay settled the children on the bed, gave them their soft toys to play with, and faced Lard Nar and Udon with short breath inward.

“ _ I _ designed that thing! They’re about as close to a cyborg as a flower can get.” Talay declared as soon as the door was locked.    
“I thought ships were your thing!” Lard Nar grasped his horns.   
“And then superweapons after that! What are you doing with bioweapons?”   
“It was assigned to me.” Talay sat at the end of the bed. “I had to make up a lot on the fly.” He picked up Acai as she started to crawl into his lap.    
  
“Go on, what does it do, then?” Udon pulled up a chair from a tiny dining table at the corner of the room, so Lard Nar could drop into it.   
  
Talay found a little notepad and pen on the entertainment stand and started to scribble on it, showing a rough detail of the flower.

  
“First the roots degenerate the soil, pulling out every scrap of nutrient they can get. The roots go deeper and deeper down with their degeneration until eventually they pull out toxic gasses from deep in the earth, which are ejected into the air through the stamen like pollen.” Talay explained. “Eventually the gasses collect in the air like clouds and suffocates the populace.”    
  
Lard Nar’s expression slowly fell with every detail. “So...what can stop it?” He asked nervously. “Didn’t you usually have some kind of backfire or weakness?” 

  
Talay sighed. “Well, if it degenerates the soil so much it collapses with the cliff, that would be the best hope. But...who knows what that would mean for the people here.” Talay rubbed the back of his neck.    
“While it’s still growing, we could blast it to oblivion before the roots set in, then deal with the hole later, but I’m not sure our canons would be enough even when they’re fixed. Maybe if we got enough help...” He scratched his chin in thought.    
  
“Wasn’t...a battle against the Meekrob fought here? When we were still allies with Irk?” He remembered.   
“There were a few. One of which was lost.” Udon interjected, her voice low.    
“Was anything left behind?” Lard Nar was starting to have an idea of Talay’s thoughts.   
“Not much that would be useful.” Udon relocated to sit with Talay. “There were a few large atomic tanks, and one of them…” She stalled. “One of them might still be here.” 

Talay clasped his hands together. “Well, that settles it! Where would it be?”    
  
He noticed Udon’s expression sink. “Oh…” He looked at Lard Nar.    
“...Not the Chumroth Cliffs…” His voice dropped to a whisper.   
“I’m afraid so. And if Laksa has come here…” Udon looked out the rounded-out window.    
  
Talay sighed. “Well, even if we could get that atomic tank, we still have the Invader to deal with. And we have to tell the Serrishoids. At least the ones on this cliff before the flower starts infecting the air around them.”

  
“We have to find the guy. He probably has a base built in the residential areas. He’s the one we need to take out, before he starts planting more down the coastline and into the mainland. And the further he gets from the coast, the less it’s going to rain…” Talay became more and more withdrawn in his speech until he was muttering to himself.

Zim was his mental placeholder for the Invader - he didn’t know any others. The idea of facing him...or any other Irken... 

“It occurs to me that by ‘we’, I mean ‘you and whoever’s tagging along’. I’m not going to face another Invader again.” Talay cleared his throat.   
  
Lard Nar started to drum anxiously under the chair. “So, what are you supposed to be? Distance tech guy?” He sputtered.   
“Better than being Zim’s distance tech guy.” Talay’s expression turned sour. “I’d be more useful to you helping with canon repair, anyway.” He started reaching defensively for the children.    
  
“Fine.” Lard Nar sighed. “It...would be better for you that way. But what about the Invader?” He asked.    
“His base should be easy to find; something’s bound to stand out. You noticed how the entry to Zim’s base looked? Not at all the same as the other buildings around it? Looking like it had been wedged in?” Talay reminded him.    
  
“Yes, I did notice. And the ornamentation.” Lard Nar remembered.    
“This guy’s going to have something similar.” Talay noted. “Now...you go get that ship turned off so we can have canons that can deal with anything else he tries to pull. Or hey...we could use it to pound out the plant’s husk so it can’t grow back.” Talay leaned over around the triplets, laying Donyx at his side opposite.    
“If you don’t mind, it’s naptime.” He undid the flap of his jumpsuit. 

Lard Nar rose from the chair. “I’ll be back in a few hours. After investigating the plant and sending out a search for anything weird.” He stopped by the door before exiting for a moment, watching the young Vortians peep for their ‘squish’, before departing. 

As he came to the beach, he found a few of his crew in the sand. Ixane, Spleenk and Schloonktapooxis watched a commotion from the villagers up the higher hill where the flower had exploded from.   
  
“Boy, they sure are making a big deal about that flower!” Schloonktapooxis exclaimed.    
“It must be a rare local plant if it’s causing this much excitement.” Ixane pondered.   
“No. Talay says that an Invader’s here. And that they planted it.” Lard Nar approached them.   
“That...that can’t be...” Ixane’s hand disappeared inside her hood.   
“Serrish was a battle ground between the Irkens and Meekrob when we were allies to the Empire. There could still be an atomic cannon here we might be able to use against the plant!”

“We could ask the locals.” Ixane suggested.

“I’ll be talking to Shujal, the head mechanic. He’ll know where to go from there. Maybe he’ll direct me to whoever’s in charge around here.” He cleared his throat. “Now get back to the ship. I want its canons fixed before that flower opens up.” Lard Nar circled his finger around the giant purple bud that had not bloomed yet. “And more importantly, get the civilians away. They’re the first ones that will be affected.” 

Lard Nar looked up the hill to the Mechanics. “I...better go look for him. And it’s a tough climb even for me. I don’t know how the Serrishoids do it.”    
“I go up the hill just fine!” Shloonktapooxis exclaimed proudly.    
“I know...I know you do.” Lard Nar sighed, nodding at Schloonktapooxies as he floated. “I suppose the rest of you could examine the bud while I go have a chat with Shujal.” He suggested.

“Will do, sir.” Ixane nodded. “Come on, you two.” She waved for Schloonktapooxis and Spleenk to follow her.    
  
They parted ways, following different paths up different hills.    
After another long, steep climb, Lard Nar stumbled back into the Mechanics, the whole of his legs feeling like gelatin by the time he reached the top.    
He found a few of the Serrishoid engineers on top of the canons, along with Ido-Iko-Ibo and Turgh.    
  
One person was strangely missing.   
  
“Hello?” Lard Nar waved for one of the mechanics, who waddled over as quickly as their stubby legs could allow.   
“I’m the captain of this ship, I need a word with Shujal. Where’s he at?“ He asked.   
“He went to look at that plant burst out of the ground.” The mechanic replied as they wiped their arms of some grease.    
“Oh, that’s...that’s another climb.” He groaned, stooping over. “I haven’t been running up hills like that since I was a kid.” He wheezed.   
  
“Do you need a rest?” The mechanic awkwardly stepped back.   
“No! There’s no time for rest!” Lard Nar shot back upright.    
“I need to speak with him before that flower opens up!” Lard Nar heaved himself upright and forced himself back out the door.    
  
“Did’ja tell him there’s an even path up to that cliff so he doesn’t have to go on the incline?” One of the other mechanics asked as they watched Lard Nar head for the steeper path.   
“I...didn’t have time…”    
  


It was one of the hardest climbs Lard Nar had faced.   
Every step made him realize how easy he had it in his youth.  
Flat gardens, well-kept park hills...  
Nothing would have prepared him for this now!    
  
Lard Nar finally had to be hauled up the cliff by some Serrishoids that were making their way down. They had initially tried to bring him down with him, but relented to his shouting that he needed to speak with Shujal urgently.    
They dropped him face-first on the leveled out top like a flour sack, where he was quickly retrieved by the shocked Ixane and Spleenked.   
  
“Sir, are you alright!?” Ixane gasped.   
“How many fingers am I holding up?!” Spleenk held all four of his hands in front of Lard Nar’s face with a finger down on each.    
“Do you need something to drink?” Schloonktapooxis shouted.   
  


“You got anything?” Lard Nar wheezed.   
“Uh...no.” Schloonktapooxis shook his head.    
“Then why did you ask?” Lard Nar rolled onto his back.    
“Uhh…” Schloonktapooxis stalled out.   
  
“Hey! I thought you Vortians could climb like it’s nothing!” A new voice shouted.   
Lard Nar turned his head enough to see Shujal approaching, as he was sending down some of the residents back to the village far below.   
“City kid.” Lard Nar croaked. "You know...me and my twin brother Lumpia...our moms...nice little estate with lots of gardens. I thought the park hills were big when I was a kid..." He started to blather; it was better to do that than focus on his head throbbing from exhaustion. "And we'd tumble down the hills and one time Lumpia rolled right into the pond because he had too much velocity and..."   
“I didn't ask for your history, bub.” Shujal pulled him up by the arm so he was sitting upright.

Though his vision had gone bright and spotty from exhaustion, Lard Nar was able to make out the full detail of the bud.   
It was enormous - nearly a third the size of the Resisto, towering over everyone’s heads. It would even outsize the gigantic G’raggo if he stood on Ido-Iko-Ibo’s back.

  
“So, you got that family settled? We’ve already shut down the ship, but work might have to be delayed until we figure out what’s up.” Shujal glowered at the bud.

“Well, that’s what I’m here to get a look at.” Lard Nar swallowed, feeling the shadow of the flower bud over him. There was a low rumbling sound beneath his feet; he could see the bud shift and turn slightly, as the tops of the roots began to expand slightly.   
  
  


“Perhaps you could send me to whoever’s in charge of the town? I’m willing to do something about it, but it would take a lot of planning and --”    
Shujal interrupted. “I’m the ‘whoever’s in charge’, I’m not just the chief mechanic.”    
“Oh! Well, that makes things easier! Because my friend knows what this is!” Lard Nar pointed at it.   
“He some kind of exobotanist?” Shujal raised a brow. 

“No, he’s an engineer. He said he made something like this for an Invader. Who appears to have come here.” He feared Shujal’s response to Talay’s involvement.   
“Yeah, I was guessing! That’s got Irken written all over it! We don’t get anything like this around here.” He punched at the bud. “If you think your canons are going to do something about it, it’s gonna take a lot more than canonfire to knock it out.” 

“Maybe...something like atomic tanks from the Meekrob Wars?”   
  


“You mean from that time the Irkens and Meekrob decided to duke things out on the Chumroth Cliffs? Yeah, there’s a couple left. Not many go there. It’s spooky.”

Shujal cocked a brow at him. “You’re thinking of frying it with atomic heat?” 

“Yes, if there’s any atomic energy in any tanks that are left.” Lard Nar crossed his arms.    
“And what about the radiation? If there is.” Shujal stamped his foot on the ground, having nothing to tap impatiently.

“Oh...radiation…” Lard Nar clenched his teeth together, as he strove to think of something.   
  
Shujal suddenly started to cackle. “I’m kidding! Those were state of the art thirteen years ago! They could fry a line of men to dust in an instant, but if the radiation were lasting, we’d be having problems up down to our village to this day!” 

“That’s...weird, you’d think the Irkens would want something to last.” Lard Nar wondered.   
“I think that was you Vortians. Anyway, why are you so interested in getting rid of it? You don’t live here, it should be our problem.” 

Lard Nar cleared his throat. “We’re the Resisty! Our goal is to overthrow the Irken scum that are taking over the universe! With courage and resilience, we will free ourselves from their rampage and--” Lard Nar started to veer into a dominating speech, but was quickly interrupted by Shujal again.   
“Resisty? That explains  _ The Resisto _ .” 

Lard Nar’s mouth twitched slightly. “Yes...the Resisto.” He sighed.   
“I noticed the ships you built it out of. That’s some work you’ve got.”   
  


Lard Nar took that as a compliment.   
“Yes, it took quite some feats to get it together, but here we are! Needing...blueprints for repair that we don’t have. And probably can’t afford repair for now that I think about it…” Lard Nar’s voice started to fade off. “And now this whole planet’s going to crumble at the surface and the populace is going to suffocate under--” He started to bend low.

“Hey! Hey! Woah! Settle down!” Shujal waved his arms frantically. 

“Tell you what, if you can get rid of this problem, we’ll do your canons free of charge.” He offered.

“Seriously? Are you absolutely serious?” Lard Nar raised a brow.    
“Well I was going to knock it down since you have your own engineers, but since you’re a bigshot rebel wanna be, I’ll even give you a hand. The Irkens have left us alone long enough, but I had a feeling that was going to be over with in no time.”

Lard Nar swallowed. “And...what if we fail?”   
“Then you won’t have to pay either. Because we’ll all be dead.” Sujal wasted no time being blunt.   
“Uhh...right.” Lard Nar cleared his throat and pushed his shoulders back from his anxious slouch. “It’s a deal then!” He extended his hand to shake on it. Shujal’s stubby arm twisted around up to his wrist.

“So, you’re going to need a lift to the cliffs.” Shujal pointed behind him. “They’re on the other side of the sea, see?”    
Lard Nar squinted. He could just barely make out the distant silhouettes of a distant mountain.    
“Yeah, I see ‘em.”    
  
“I’ll get a boat together. You figure out who’s coming along.” Shujal clapped him on the back. “And uh, we’re taking the ramp down.” He pointed at the incredibly obvious set of wooden planks some distance down the hill.   
"We're not rolling down. Trust me, you don't want to do that."   
Lard Nar blinked. "Is that why you don't have a tail?" He pointed at the stub on his backside where the other Serrishoids had a stiff, jagged tail.  
"If I say yes, will you keep your business to yourself?"   
  


As Spleenk and Ixane helped Lard Nar upright, the disguised Krunk leaned around from the flower bud where he had been listening.    
  
Blar had abandoned the area to speak with Laksa about something pertaining to the escaped pirate.    
“Keep an eye on things for a bit, would you, GUY?.” Krunk firmly pointed a finger at his SIR Unit, disguised more effectively as one of Serrish’s local wildlife.    
“Yes, sir!” The SIR Unit saluted.    
“I’ll be back! Make sure there’s nothing coming to attack. You know what to do if that happens.” He started to head down to the small ship mechanics.   
“YES, SIR!” The SIR Unit more enthusiastically responded. 

Krunk found Blar with Laksa in an outdoor cafe near the beach. Dolly and Kat were with him, as well as a young female Vortian. 

“Your disguise is awful.” Was the first thing the young Vortian said, sipping on a thick drink.   
“Your attitude is vulgar.” Krunk shot back. “But enough about that.” He pointed at Laksa

“I got a job for you!”

Blar whirled from where he had been standing.   
  
“He’s my attendant! What business do you have giving him orders!” He spat.   
“I’m an Invader. I outrank you.” Krunk retorted.   
“We’re not even in the same field of work!”    
  


Laksa huffed and turned his from seating toward Krunk, crossing his legs. “Can you authorize it?” He asked, rubbing his fingers indicating an expectation for payment.

“Yeah, whatever, but I don't have the time. There are rebels going after an atomic tank in the Chumroth Cliffs.” 

Both Dolly and Voon immediately clenched with discomfort.

Laksa’s fingers curled in.

“And you can’t go after them yourself?” He asked.

“I’ve got to make sure the plant stays growing.” Krunk gestured his thumb to the plant growing behind him. “I also want to be there when they see what it’s doing to the ground.” A malicious grin crawled across his face.

“Fine. I’ll stall them.” Laksa huffed. “So long as your next flower is in the Chumroth Cliffs.” 

“Can’t make promises, but sure. Whatever.” Krunk crossed his arms. 

“Can’t I come?” Voon asked. “I want to see it.” She looked aside sheepishly.

“Of course you do…” Laksa sighed. 

“But now’s not the time if the atomic tanks are involved.” He stroked the side of her chin. “I’m trying to keep you safe, not put you closer to danger. Those are bound to be the most dangerous things here.”    
  
“Those can’t still be working...even if there’s any left…” Dolly grasped his arm.   
“We can’t take chances if it means my Invasion succeeding.” Krunk tapped his foot impatiently.    
  
“Get a move on. That means you too, Blar.” Krunk pointed at him.    
“Fine. LUCY, with me.” Blar started to stalk off, not waiting for Laksa to get himself upright.    
“No, the MADAM stays. I’m not going to risk it blowing up.” Krunk scowled at LUCY as its shoulder joint continued to spark erratically.    
Kat (disguised as a Vortian) was scooting ever closer to Dolly in an effort to keep her distance from it. 

“It hasn’t blown up on me yet!” Blar insisted.   
“You don’t want it getting exposed to water.” Laksa grumbled. “Look what rain did to it, getting splashed by the ocean is going to be the end of it. And possibly us.”    
Blar huffed. “Fine! But I better get compensated for this.” He snarled.    
  
“We’ll talk about compensation later.” Krunk waved him away.   
“And...what are the rest of you doing?” He glared at the remaining stragglers.    
“We’re going to finish our coffee and fit a dress.” Dolly patted Voon’s shoulder.   
  
Krunk’s eyes narrowed shiftily. “Okay…”    
“I’ll be back soon enough.” Laksa sighed. “Probably after the door is finished…” He kissed Voon on the forehead, Dolly on the lips, and patted Kat on the head.    
“If you’re quite done?” Blar impatiently stamped.    
  
“I’m coming!” Laksa snapped, tailing behind him. “Leave the boat retrieval to me.”    
  
“Aw. He’s finally getting on a boat.” Dolly smiled a little. “Probably not the way he wanted…” It quickly disappeared. 

“Yeah…” Voon agreed gloomily.   
“Yeah?!” Kat slammed her hands on the wooden table in confusion. 

  
  
  
Talay was disrupted from his nap by a beeping from his comlink.    
Acai was nearly awoken from where she was against his neck.   
“Nar? What is it? We’re napping, keep it short.” Talay tried to keep his voice low. Udon, Tomkha, and Donyx were sleeping on the other bed.    
“We’re on.” Lard Nar was quick, indeed. “Going to the Cliffs. Getting a boat. Waiting for some others to come down to the ship.” He hurried.    
  
“Okay…” Talay breathed out. “Okay, good. Let me know when you’re out on the water.” He paused. “Did you find the Invader?” He asked.   
“Sending some other guys out. Your prison buddies.”   
“Ah...yeah, they’ll find him.” Talay patted Goji as she stretched in her sleep.    
  
“Just giving you that update. Rest up, you’ll need it.” Lard Nar ended the communication.   
Talay wasn’t sure if he’d be able to fall asleep again.    
  
Now there was a new anxiety to sit on. Between having no idea of when the plant would bloom or even if there was a suitable atomic tank on the cliffs.   
‘What next’? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've got BACKSTORY. We've got WORLD BUILDING. We've got ~Laksa's past~ . We've got ~Lard Nar's past~


	21. The Chumroth Cliffs

_ Most soldiers cried out for their parents or mates when they were injured. Anything that was usually family. _ _   
_ _ This one was unusual.  _ _   
  
_

_ Shujal noticed it as he stayed by the side of a Vortian combatant, after warding off the Meekrob that had stabbed him with an energy blade. _ _   
_ _ He was barely coherent when the medics arrived to collect him, curled stiff and helpless on his side as he bled out onto the rock below him, persistently and weakly struggling for someone. Perhaps he was so out of it he didn’t realize what he had been doing.  _

_ He seemed to be calling under ragged breath for the commander at the top of the Chumroth Cliffs.  _ _   
_ _ “Ratha -- get Ratha--” _ _   
_ _ The pleading was not to last as he flickered out into unconsciousness, with the injection of a sedative.  _   
  


Laksa could see the Chumroth Cliffs coming closer as the sailboat that Blar commissioned neared.   
Or rather, the sailboat that Laksa had convinced him was better than the small rowboat he had insisted on claiming.   
The shore of the village hills was far behind them. 

This was not the way he had hoped he would return to the cliffs.    
He had hoped to bring Voon to the cliffs, when she had her title as a queen at last - even if she was being puppeteered by the Tallest.   
He had most certainly not wanted to be dragged out by force - and least of all by someone who clearly did not know how to sail.

Officer Blar was grumbling and fussing at the helm when he took control of steering.

The sailboat was practically unmoving against the wind.   
“Can’t we go any faster?” Blar grumbled. “Do something!” He moved off the helmsman seat for Laksa to take over.   
“I’m working on it.” Laksa responded, turning the wheel so the boat pointed away from being pointed toward the land.

“What are you doing, the Cliffs are that way!” Blar pointed.    
“We can’t sail in irons. I’m bream reaching. Get that line, we have to -”    
“What are you SAYING!?” Blar shrieked.    
  
Laksa tightened his jaw. “Fine, layman. We won’t move if we’re going directly into the wind, which we are. I need to catch the wind, but in order to do that, the sail needs to be opened. Since I’m at the helm - or  _ steering _ \- I need you to undo the ropes to get wind into the sail.” He pointed at the rope. “Am I clear,  _ sir _ ?”

“Move it right, then. I’ll fix the sail.” Blar impatiently snapped.   
“Starboard.” Laksa corrected him.   
Blar sputtered. “Who put you in charge of this boat?”    
Laksa scowled. “Being the son of a naval captain and having gone to naval military schools.” He watched Blar fumble with the rope.   
  


“Do you even know how to tie one?” He huffed.   
“I’m an Enforcer, not a Sailor!” Blar spat.    
It took a good moment for Laksa to arrive to help. “Excuse me while I get a brief moment of autopilot.” He seized the rope and started to loosen it until the sail caught the wind, then tied it back where it was.    
  
“There.” He huffed. “Voon should have come after all. She’d at least be of decent help.”   
  
“Fine. I’ll be standing here, at the front.” Blar planted his foot there.   
“That’s the bow.” Laksa rolled his eyes. “And get your foot off it! You’ll fall!”   
“You’re here to help me stop a pirate and rebels! Not criticize my every move!” Blar spat.    
“If I weren’t here, you would have capsized the whole boat by now, and you’d be stranded. With the ocean predators.” He spread his hand out over the water. “For someone who’s regularly in space, I’m disappointed you don’t know what you’re doing at sea.” 

Blar ignored him, as the ship’s course settled into a bath where Laksa could relax at the helm. He plucked up a little stringed instrument that had been left in the boat by the owner. Setting aside the brace that made artificial “fingers” for a Serrishoid musician, he started to strum on it. He needed something to take his mind off the foolishness Blar was exhibiting.    
  


“ _ Sail far from shore, for you’re made for the sea _ _   
_ _ Hasten away, oh noble--”  _

Blar suddenly threw a handful of water at Laksa.   
“Don’t sing either!”    
  
Laksa fell backwards and had to grab the handrail at the last moment before he was completely dislodged from his seat.    
“Fine.” He grumbled, setting the instrument aside. 

“You don’t have to lose your temper because you’re getting distracted. Or can’t bring your machine with you. I’m not entirely pleased about being shoved on this trip either.” He crossed his arms.    
  
“I’ve got a mission to complete, and this is a distraction.” Blar growled.   
“And I hoped I’d never have to come here again. At least not without Voon.” Laksa looked away from the shore as it came closer. He gasped the left side of his hip.   
“Yes, yes, I know your terrible history. Buck up. We’ve got more important things to focus on.” Blar did focus on the approach.    
“Doing someone else’s dirty work?” Laksa stood to steer the boat.    
  
“What are you doing?” Blar hissed.    
“I’m moving us away from the rip current.” Laksa pointed to the still water the boat was approaching.    
“The water’s calm. I would have thought that was the best place to stop.” Blar nearly pouted as the boat was directed toward safer waters.   
“How about I shove you into it and show you how calm it is,  _ you absolute moron? _ ” Laksa growled under his breath. 

  
  
  


Lard Nar was surprised things were going well.    
It was no shock that Shujal could steer a boat, but Spleenk was shockingly competent with a sail as far as he noticed.    
“Uh, yeah, I know how to sail! A baby could do it!” Spleenk acted like it was common knowledge.    
In the meantime, Lard Nar found himself sitting tight with Ixane and Schloonktapooxis, both of whom were equally uncomfortable on the tiny rectangle they had been set in. It was nothing like manning a ship in space.    
It was wet and cold. Water kept sloshing over the side, soaking them. 

  
“Are we there yet!?” Schloonktapooxis howled where he hovered.   
“Nearly there.” Lard Nar pointed ahead. “We’re getting to the docks, see?” 

Schloonktapooxis moaned with boredom.    
“How do you even plan to move this tank if there is one?” Ixane asked. “You’ve never brought that up. And I doubt our ship could carry it, even if it were available.” 

She paused a moment. “Sir, why didn’t we take a ship at all? Why did we waste our time on a boat?” She called.   
“There’s not a good place to land a transport ship.” Shujal explained. “First we have to make sure there’s a tank to use in the first place, and then we gotta make sure we can hook it up from a ship in the air.” Shujal explained.    
  
“That and, wherever we find a ship...it’ll be a graveyard. In a sense. We wouldn’t want to land on someone’s remains.” He added ominously.    
  
“Are there going to be skeleton people?” Schloonktapooxis squeaked.    
“Nah, not skeletons. You now, just the imprints of what once were people.”    
Lard Nar and his compatriots paused and looked at one another uncomfortably.   
  
“That’s...not creepy at all.” Lard Nar grimaced. 

  
  
  


The Chumroth Cliffs were barren and orange. What few grasses did grow stopped on the beach, even then, only in a pale lavender.    
It was a miserable sight.    
The wind roared over the worn cliff sides that made for artificial walking paths. Lard Nar had been afraid he’d have to tie a rope to Schloonktapooxis to keep him from blowing away in a gust - but he proved surprisingly resistant.    
  
Spleenk was more anxious in his climb - his big feet stumbling to keep upright. Ixane, however, was right behind to balance him.    
  
“It should be right up here! Right where it was left after the...situation with your prince.” Shujal cleared his throat respectfully. “If that’s the thing to call it.” 

“You could say ‘situation’.” Lard Nar shrugged.   
“What happened with a prince?” Schloonktapooxis asked.    
  
“I’ll...explain when we get done with this.” Lard Nar hesitated. “We’ve got more important things to deal with than the history of my people.”

  
  
  


As they neared the summit of the cliff, Laksa and Blar were arriving on the beach.    
As Blar marched for the steep climb up, Laksa froze before he could tie the boat to a wooden post. The age of the post dragged him back to focus - it hadn’t been used in years. It was broken down and soggy, covered with a slick purple algae.    
  
“Good.” He thought. 

“Are you going to take all day?” Blar shouted, already standing on the walking path.

Laksa walked across the ground with a defensive hunch, arms folded tightly over his chest.   
He skirted around one bolder with a shiver - then froze at the other side. He grasped for a sword that was not on his hip, until he realized there was nothing in front of him.   
  
But he remembered...just for a moment...the glow of a Meekrob.    


“Don’t drag your feet, we’ve got work to do!” Blar shouted impatiently, breaking his trance. He grabbed Laksa by the arm and pushed him ahead of him.    
“This is no time to be skittish!” He hissed.    
  
“Pardon me for having old memories come back to haunt me.” Laksa growled.

  
  
  


The top of the Chumorth Cliffs was a miserable sight.    
There was nothing but orange rock, smoothed flat by millions of years of exposure to wind and rain.   
It seemed untouched - save for the one thing that sent a chill down Lard Nar’s back when he saw it.

The atomic tank was nothing nearly as frightening or as powerful as the Massive.   
But for what it was capable of in a short amount of space and time...and for what it was at the time of Tallest Miyuki’s reign...it was something to be feared, even in its sorry state.

“Ah, see. Might be missing a barrel, but the rest is intact. Gotta check to be sure the actual atomic bits still work.” Shujal approached the tank, skirting around some black spots in the rock. “Last time I saw this thing, it was brand new and sparkly. But look at it now. No nose and all that nice metal rusted away.” 

Lard Nar couldn’t just focus on the machine that was past its glory - even as he waited for some chunk of metal to fall off its side at any moment. He could see the other side of the sea from where they had arrived - then nothing past its horizon. He could see the black stains scattered about in front of the tank, in a line but slightly scattered apart from each other. 

He wrapped his arms around himself as the blistering wind billowed around him and the others; he should have brought a coat. At least Ixane had the sense to continue wearing her cloak. He tried to do everything he could to keep his eyes off the ground. So was Ixane. 

  
  


“Um...so what are these?” Spleenk swallowed. “They look like shadows that got stuck in the ground.”    
“You could say that.” Shujal nodded. “It’s what happens when you get hit with the heat blast of one of these suckers.” He thumped a hand on the tank.    
“So they were…” Spleenk stalled, and jumped back with a yelp, realizing his foot was on top of an Irken-shaped stain. It had a large oval-shaped vacancy where the pak should have been. 

“Wow, look at this guy!” Schloonktapooxis exclaimed. “It looks like a Vortian!”   
“That’s...that’s just not nice.” He was hovering over a particular stain a few yards ahead of the tank. It took Lard Nar a moment to recognize that the Vortian was crowned with long antlers that branched into reflected crescent moons. There was a small circular area on the left side that didn’t seem to leave a mark.    
The left leg was missing completely.   
  
“Oh.” He covered his mouth. “Show some respect!” He cleared his throat. “I think I know who that is.” 

“...Who?” Schloonktapooxis raised a brow.   
“This...this was Prince Ratha Chau. This is where he died...thirteen years ago. During the Meekrob wars. Any Vortian would know those antlers.” Lard Nar approached. 

“Oooh…” Schloonktapooxis reeled back slightly. “That must have been real bad.”    
“It was. I was just starting off at the engineering academy then; there was mass panic. Months of devastation. I can’t even imagine what it must have been for his family.” Lard Nar kneeled respectfully at the shadow’s feet.    
  


“It doesn’t matter now.” Someone spoke up. “Not when you’re the next to die on this cliff.”    
An Irken emerged up the path from the cliff. 

He most certainly was not the Invader - or any ordinary Irken, wearing a blue uniform with heavy shielding over his shoulders.    
“And you are?” Lard Nar returned to his feet.    
  
“Officer Blar, not that it will matter to you any longer.” He turned sharply.   
“Get up here!” He shouted over his shoulder as he drew a pistol from the holster on his hip.    
Lard Nar immediately recognized Laksa’s antlers before he could even see his face.    
When he did, Laksa lacked the sleek sobered expression he had when he was with Talay earlier in the morning.   
  
Now, he looked like he was being circled by ghosts.

“And what are you doing here?” Lard Nar barked, scrambling upright. “Don’t you have a Princess to mind? Or a prince to abduct?”   
“Voon is safe with a compatriot.” Laksa grumbled. “It’s better than being here.”    
  
He started pulling off the coat he was wearing - revealing the pink Irken’s uniform underneath, with a gold watch attached over his heart.

“Oh, Udon wasn’t kidding…” Lard Nar anchored his legs defensively.    
“Who is this?” Ixane slowly joined Spleenk and Schloonktapooxis in standing behind Lard Nar.    
“He’s an Irken bootlicker.” Lard Nar spread his arms defensively. “Who I’m going to guess is here to stop us from taking the tank.” 

“It’s not the job he was assigned, but since he’s here...” Blar’s eyes shifted toward Laksa, as he instead stared at the tank. He started to approach it. 

“I thought it was completely destroyed...I never realized it was just the barrel. Perhaps...it still does...” He kept his approach until he was at the head of the shadow.

He looked down and immediately lurched back with a gasp.

“Oh!” His hand clapped over his mouth. “No. No!” 

  
Lard Nar’s defensive hold started to drop as Laksa started to sink to his knees.    
He still shuffled the whole group back for distance away from him.   
“No, no, no…” Laksa’s hand shook with his voice. He grasped his watch tightly and laid his fingers over the shade.   
“Um?” Spleenk started to relax his lower arms. “Okay, this is weird.” 

Blar stowed his pistol and stomped over to Laksa, snarling impatiently.

  
“Get up, you simpering fool!” As Blar reached for him, Lard Nar returned to his defensive posture, now shoving the others back.   
“Damn it, stand back.” Lard elbowed them further back.   
He could already tell what was going to happen, as Blar’s hand clenched around one of Laksa’s antlers.    
  
Laksa suddenly lurched, reaching backwards to seize Blar by the shoulders.    
His grip secured, he spun, dragging Blar with him, and slammed him hard into the rock where he had been previously standing, swinging him over his head so he was forced to release his antler. “Don’t you even  _ dare _ to touch me!” He roared. 

“Uh, now’s the time to get your guys.” Lard Nar craned around for Shujal - who was already on the job at his comlink. 

“So, my guys are coming...should we do something about that?” Shujal uncomfortably watched Laksa wrestle to keep Blar pinned on the ground.   
“Also, I think I know that guy.” He squinted, pointing at Laksa as he pinned Blar to the ground.    
  
“You listen to me, you listen to me well,  _ do not touch me. _ ” Laksa hissed.    
“Think hard about where you’ve dragged me to.” He was suddenly punched in the jaw and sent reeling as Blar jumped back to his feet, seizing Laksa by one wrist and an antler.    
“And you think hard about what’s at stake if we fail here.”    
“It’s on you if something happens to me. It’s almost like you’ve forgotten.” Laksa hissed, first tapping his rib cage and then shoved Blar hard in the stomach to throw him off. 

  
“I say we use this moment as a distraction.” Lard Nar nodded at Shujal. “I don’t think they’re going to be our problem.”    
“The boys are already coming, and they’ll be here a lot faster than we arrived.” Shujal skittered over. “This thing is coming to the station while we make sure it actually works.” 

Lard Nar nodded. “And um...how much do we want to let down our guard?” He gestured his thumb toward Laksa and Blar, now facing each other and circling one another.    
“Hm...I’m gonna bet my money on the Vortian winning.” Shujal shrugged.   
“I’m not gambling with you.” Lard Nar rolled his eyes.    
“Five monies on the sad guy!” Spleenk shouted above him.    
  
Blar’s attention snapped.    
“Are you betting on us?!” He stamped a foot. The wind began to billow harder.   
Blar looked up, expecting darkening clouds and more rain as a shade came over the cliff.   
  
Instead, it was a planet-bound ship nearing the cliffs.   
“Look what you’ve done.” Blar crossed his arms with a scowl. “Had to go whimpering away at some shade.”    
“And neither you nor Krunk were prepared for retaliation.” Laksa frowned.    
“You really think the Serrishoids are fools enough to not recognize invasion when they see it?!” 

  
After that, Lard Nar could not hear what either one was saying anymore, drowned out by the whir of the ship - and then the rattle of several openings coming loose.    
Five enormous magnets dropped down from the ship when it was lowered close enough.   
  
“Magnets are down.” Shujal called into the comlink.   
“Come on.” Lard Nar waved for Spleenk and Ixane to come to him. “Get a magnet and attach it to the tank.    
“Schloonktapooxis, uh…” He realized he might not have been the most helpful. “Make sure those guys don’t come over.”

He pointed at Laksa and Blar. 

“Yeah, I don’t think that’ll be a problem, sir.” Schloonktapooxis turned away. Blar had fallen off the side of the cliff as he stepped backwards to keep his space from Laksa. 

Laksa peered over the side and returned to the Vortian shade. 

A ladder came down from the ship to bring up the group once the magnets were secured. Spleenk carried Schloonktapooxis up in his lower arms, with Ixane behind them.    
  
The last thing Lard Nar noticed before starting his own climb, was Laksa prostrated next to the shade.   
He kissed his fingers and pressed them where the Vortian’s face would have been. 

He did not see what happened afterwards, focusing on his ascent. 

Ixane pulled him into what was little more than a cargo carrier for the sky, its interior emptied so there would be places to sit and wait. Shujal was regrouping with his kinsmen.    
  
“Right, let’s get this hunk of junk over and see if there’s anything that works.” Shujal addressed them. “And get there fast. We’re probably going to be chased.”    
“Yes, sir.” One of the younger Serrishoids rushed to the pilot. 

Without windows, Lard Nar did not see Laksa return to the cliff’s edge.    
As he retrieved his coat, he watched Blar stagger to his feet as the cargo ship hovered off back to the village. 

“Well, now that we’ve wasted time on fighting each other.” Laksa jumped down.    
“We ought to get going.” He started his descent down the hill. “It will be some time before they determine if that contraption will actually work.”    
  
“Contraption? Didn’t your people make it?” Blar’s tone was bitter.   
“Sometimes your own technology betrays you.” Laksa shrugged apathetically. “Other times, as I think...sabotage is at hand.” He gave a leering squint, and didn’t say another word as they returned to the sailboat.    
  


The atomic tank was lowered carefully into the large mechanics. Rust shook off it when it was set on a lift.    
  
Several of the Resisty cringed back in terror, expecting it to explode prematurely.    
“A drop that short isn’t going to set it off, come on!” Shujal shouted at them   
“But…” An Aracho squeaked.    
“We’re fine! We just gotta crack it open, see if the generator still works, and THEN we drop it on the plant!” Shujal smacked the side a few times, shaking off more rust.    
  
“And how do you plan to do that? You won’t be able to get into the rivets without some heavy duty tools.” Lard Nar noted.    
“And that’s why, you and your engineers are going to get going.” Shujal opened up a tool shed, revealing the power drills within.    
  
Drills. Lard Nar sighed. He was glad Talay wasn’t there.   
  
  
He...had to update Talay on the situation. Surely he’d be up from the nap by now.    
  
Excusing himself, he stepped aside to open his comlink.   
Talay answered quickly. Lard Nar could see him cradling one of the children to his chest.   
“So how’d it go?” Talay asked.   
“We’re back. Laksa and some Irken followed us there, but it was...weird.” Lard Nar tried to describe it.    
“He saw the stain where Prince Ratha Chau died and just about shut down.”    
  
Talay raised a brow. “Huh. He had a portrait of the prince in his caravan. You know, he said he would have preferred it to take the place of his own father’s.”    
“He...what?” Lard Nar raised a brow.   
“Yeah, I think they knew each other.” Talay nodded. Then cleared his throat. “Anyway, the tank?” He asked.    
“We’re going to work on it. Have the other guys found the Invader?” He asked.    
  


“Not that I’ve been told. I’ve been busy with the kids.” He patted the child on the head. 

“Well...I’ll let you know when the tank’s done.”   
“One more thing! You should send some guys out to let the village know what’s happening.” Talay rushed. “Just spread everyone out as far as you can!”    
  
“Hm...yes, that would have...been a good idea before…” Lard Nar rubbed his chin. 

  
“I’ll call you back later. It’s time to get some work done.” He ended the conversation and stepped back into the mechanics. But just before, he peeked around, just to see what was happening with the plant bud.   
  
It was starting to split a little at the tips. He could see some dark circles of white where it was once purple around it.   
  
There was no telling when it would finish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have a Lard Nar focused chapter, whaddup! 
> 
> And big chunks of history, too!


	22. Rattling Light

It took five of them to bring down one of the side panels of the atomic tank.   
Lard Nar was glad Talay was not there amid the noise of all their drills - he thought for sure he would faint from the intensity of flashing back. He was, however, far from thrilled about the scattering of rust into his face and goggles - no matter how much he covered his skin, he still swore he could feel the dust of aged metal. 

When it was pried loose, they could see the mechanics within.   
“Ah, see the atomizer?” Shujal pointed at the near-pristine red cylinder within a tangle of heavy wires and connectors.   
“Yeah. It’s intact.” Lard Nar marveled. “But it’s not going to do us much good without a cannon barrel.”    
  
“Who said we needed a barrel?” Shujal nudged his shoulder with the middle of his arm.    
“Logic.” Lard Nar crossed his arms.    
“Or when we load it back onto the magnets, we can just release it over the plant in midair.” Shujal pressed.   
“But what about the radiation!?” Lard Nar staggered away. “I thought you were the chief of this village, aren’t you at least a little concerned --”   
Shujal thumped an arm on his shoulder and held it there. He waited until Lard Nar stopped talking.    
  
“I told you the radiation’s not built to last too long. Just to fry whatever it impacts. You saw the shades on the cliff, they’re not radioactive.”    
“Should’ve brought a radiation counter just in case.” Lard Nar mumbled.    
“So...not even going to strap in a bomb?” He looked back in the cylinder.    
“Do I look like I have a bomb sitting around?” Shujal stomped a foot with offense. 

“Uh, sir?” A low voice rattled behind him.    
Lard Nar whipped around, and saw the former Moo-Ping 10 prisoners standing in wait for him.    
“Oh, it’s you!” Lard Nar clapped his hands together.   
“Did you find the Invader?” He asked.   
  
“Nope. No sign. Checked everywhere in the village for a green Serrishoid.” G’raggo explained.    
“We’re ‘boutta check the cliff.” The fishman added.   
“Then what are you standing here for?” Lard Nar asked. 

“We were filling you in. Also, Talay’s coming up.” G’raggo pointed at the door. “So, uh...better come outside. So you’re away from the drill sounds.” 

Lard Nar nodded, rushing to the wall, pulling off his protective gear.    
“I’ll be right with him.” He rushed out the door and down the thankfully smoother path, where he met Talay halfway down.   
“Talay! Where are the children! I thought you weren’t leaving them?” Lard Nar looked around for them.   
“They’re behind me with Udon. And I’m hating every moment being away from them. But I need to be.” 

_ The children were asleep. All five of them.  _ _   
_ _ Talay had the triplets nestled at his side as always, while Tomkha dozed in the bed next to his. Udon stood by the window, looking up the cliff as she held Donyx.  _ _   
_ _ “You can see the flower is starting to bloom.” She pointed.  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Then they better hurry up with that tank.” Talay sighed. He wasn’t able to stand up to look for himself, under the pile of his children.  _ _   
_ _ “How soon will the toxin start spreading?” Udon asked.  _ _   
_ _ “Depends on when the roots start hitting the gaseous areas.” Talay looked at each of his children.  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “I really should be helping more.” He rubbed Goji on her head. “There’s more than just my family at stake.” He swallowed. “But I can’t leave them. I just got them back.”  _

_ Udon left the window, coming to sit at his feet. “It won’t be for long. You can count on me to look after them.” She held her hand to him.  _ _   
_ _ “I know you do...I know…” Talay squeezed two of the children closer. “But I can’t take risks with Irkens. No one should.”  _

_ He looked out the window, then to the children.  _

_ Just then, his comlink beeped out a call signal. Acai stirred with a little whine.  _ _   
_ _ Talay scooped her onto his chest to settle her and answered it.  _ _   
_ _ “So how’d it go?”  _

“I’d like to drop the tank on the flower.” Talay crossed his arms.    
“You what?” Lard Nar raised a brow.    
“I said...I’d like to drop the tank.” Talay restated, more firmly. “Since I can’t do anything about the Massive right now, I’d like to take out something else I’m ashamed to have made.”

“Very well. Um...we’re still trying to see if the insides still function.” Lard Nar cleared his throat. “It’s quite rusted over.”    
“It would be if it’s been left above a sea for over a decade.” Talay nodded.    
“We haven’t even begun to crack it.” Lard Nar clarified. 

“Sir!” They heard Spleenk shouting. “Sir! That guy with the antlers is back!” Spleenk rushed up the path behind Talay.    
“Well, where is he then?” Lard Nar asked.   
“He’s at the docks! His Irken friend left him on the beach, but he’s on his way over! Schloonktapooxis is trying to hold him off!” 

“Then...we’ll keep him busy too.” Lard Nar pointed down. “Let’s go have a word with our old traitor.” 

They found Schloonktapooxis hovering around Laksa as he tried to climb the hill, continuously holding off his path with numerous attempts at conversation starters.   
  
“So how many of you have antlers like that? I’ve never seen them before! But, I haven’t seen much of anything! I’m only just -- Sir!” Schloonktapooxis lifted with relief.    
“I knew I’d find you back here.” Laksa approached, stepping away from the floating cone. “And I know this is a task too big for you to stop. That...seems to be your calling.”    
“What do you mean?” Lard Nar blinked.   
“I know you tried to attack the Massive. And did quite a bit of damage. I don’t know what you did to make it lose control, but I’ll say that was impressive.” 

“Uh yeah, that was me, hi. I gave remote access to the Massive to an Irken who wanted to bring the Tallest to his planet.” Talay wiggled his fingers.    
Laksa nodded at him. “Ah...you. I don’t think I ever got your name...funny considering how I sheltered you and your children and it passed me by.”    
“Talay.” He responded quickly.    
Laksa cleared his throat. “Talay, then. And where are your children?” He asked.   
  
He looked between them. “With my aunt, I’m going to suppose.”    
“Laksa!” A distant shout came from down the path.   
“Speak of her and she comes.” Laksa folded his arms behind his back, as Udon rushed to him. The children were following behind her.    
“Hi, Sasa!” Tomkha waved at him, as the triplets dashed for Talay and crowded behind him. 

“Udon.” Laksa turned his gaze from her. “I see you’ve got yourself a new flock.”   
“I was needed.” Udon approached, sliding Tomkha around to Talay. She kept Donyx in her arms.   
“I...I will go up to the mechanics.” Talay lifted Goji and Acai into his arms, then beckoned Tomkha and Holly to follow.   
“I want to say hi to Sasa!” Tomkha whined as he followed.   
  
  
“Laksa…” Udon reached for Laksa, breaking him from watching their ascent.    
He recoiled, stepping back a little bit. He eyed the still-sleeping Donyx in her arm. 

“Laksa, why are you allowing this?” Udon extended her hand to the flower as its petals started to peel back.   
Laksa’s jaw clenched. “You know why.” He growled.    
“Is it about Ratha?” Udon’s voice was soft. 

“It’s not just him, it’s what happened beyond.” Laksa’s hand drifted to his side. 

“The Tallest can have their beach if I can wash my hands of the poison this place has left in me.”   
  
“So what if the prince died here? It was thirteen years ago! Everyone else made their peace with it, why can’t you?! Some red-blooded loyalist you are if you’ve teamed yourself up with the Irkens and--” Lard Nar interjected.    
  
He whipped around as Spleenk tapped him on the shoulder. “What?!” 

“Sir, I think he and the prince were…close.” Spleenk anxiously suggested, rubbing an arm behind his head. 

Schloonktapooxis nodded in agreement. “Yeaaah you might not want to make him more mad.”   
“What do you mean by…” Lard Nar stalled off for a moment, until his eyes seemed to widen behind his goggles.   
  
How had he not put it together?   
When he passed a kiss to the shade in the cliffs, he had thought it was a motion of respect. 

“Oh...you were his…” He stepped back anxiously.    
“Did Udon not tell you that either?” Laksa cast a sour gare at her.    
“Apparently there’s a lot she isn’t saying!” Lard Nar grasped his horns with frustration.   
“That’s not a surprise.” Laksa started to approach.    
  
“Laksa, this is too far, it’s bad enough you want to bring Voon and Tomkha to the Tallest, but standing by and allowing this planet to be conquered is--” Udon started with desperation.    
  
Laksa turned, shoulders trembling, as he gripped his watch in his fist. 

“The man I loved died far from home! The man I loved is a stain on a planet that isn’t even his, when he should be buried on Vort with his family, instead of being represented by a bronzed prosthesis!” Laksa seethed, his voice rising with every word.   
  


“Is this what Ratha would want from you?” Udon grasped his arm.    
“I--” Laksa stuttered. “You--” He took a few steps backwards. He noticed the baby she was holding had started to stir and whine at the disturbance. 

Laksa’s eyes wandered as he went deep into thought. Then his expression hardened again.    
“You...you have a lot of nerve asking me what he’d want  _ now _ . When I knew what he wanted of me.  _ You knew _ what he wanted of me! And you did  _ nothing _ .” He stepped away, circling around her to go down the hill.    
  


“Where are you going?” Udon asked.    
“I’m going up the cliff.” Laksa dismissively grumbled.   
“Bye, then.” Lard Nar shrugged. “Sounds like you had a sad life.”   
  
Laksa stopped in his path, then turned slowly.    
“I’m not walking toward my death.” His fists were curling.    
“Well, the tank’s going up.” Spleenk responded. “So, you’re gonna die.”    
  
“Is it now?” Laksa looked up to the large ship mechanics. He had expected to see a carrier ship heading toward the flower - and saw nothing.   
“Spleenk!” Lard Nar pointed up. “Make sure Talay gets up safely! You’ll have to take the tank up without me!”    
“Yes sir.” Spleenk realized what he had done, and scurried up the hill, with Schloonktapooxis speeding behind him. 

Various Sherrishoids were stopping to watch what was happening on the path, Lard Nar realized. As did Laksa.    
“So. Do you plan to fight me in the middle of the street and make a scene...or will we take it elsewhere?” Laksa extended his hand down the path.   
“What, do you want to fight?” Lard Nar challenged.   
“Do you?” Laksa sized him up. “Because you’re nearly out of time.” He pointed in the direction of the flower.   
  
Yellowish particles were beginning to billow above the plant. The residents began to whisper among each other. Several rushed indoors in hopes of protection.   
Lard Nar felt a chill down his spine. There was some way he could knock down Laksa’s pride.

“Well - you! You’re stuck here like the rest of us! Talay says you were getting a door fixed! ”   
Laksa’s eyes broadened with shock.   
  


“Voon. No.” He uttered.    
Without another word, he turned and rushed between buildings, completely bypassing the proper path to the top of the cliff overhanging the village to the flower. 

Lard Nar could only watch, bewildered. He’d expected him to run down to the beach into the small ship mechanics.    
What was his plan with that?    
Shrugging, he began another climb to return to the large ship mechanics.

  
  


He found Talay getting the children settled with Udon while the tank was being rolled outside on a platform to the waiting carrier.    
“You got Laksa dealt with?” He asked.   
“He started running for the flower when I pointed out he wasn’t going to make it off the planet either. The man has a death wish, but...with the way he spoke of the prince…”   
“Yeah, that was weird.” Spleenk cringed.    
  
“Okay, let’s get a move on!” Shujal shouted from a mechanic’s. “Everyone involved, get in the carrier!”    
Talay embraced all three of his children at once. “Daddy’s going to be right back. I promise.” He kissed each one on the head. “I won’t be gone too long.” He couldn’t stand to pull away from them, as they begged to know where he was going.    
Holly even grappled her tiny hands into his clothing in an effort to stay with him.    
  
G’raggo stepped from behind Udon to scoop them all up, holding all of them in both hands. “Go before you get stuck.” He urged.    
Lard Nar grasped Talay by the arm. “Come on.” He led him out to the ship where it hovered in the air, the tank magnetized to the connectors, the generator still exposed. 

Shujal had already tossed down the rope, where Spleenk was almost near the top.    
“What’s he doing?” Talay shouted over the noise of the carrier’s jets.    
“He’s a great sonar reader!” Lard Nar grabbed onto the ladder. “Come on!” He started his climb. 

Shujal waited for the two Vortians to scramble into the ship. “Right, purple guy on the dropper, Goggles on second pilot.” He pointed each of them toward their places.   
“You...you know my name.” Lard Nar blinked uncomfortably as he settled for the left-hand seat of the controls.    
“You gonna argue this right now?” Shujal climbed into his seat. “Let’s go.”    
  


  
  
  


Laksa stopped in the middle of the cliff up to the flower. There wasn’t time and he wasn’t going to survive if he made it to the crown of the cliff.    
If Krunk did not move, however…

  
“Krunk, you need to move! There’s insurgents coming to drop the tank! There’s no stopping it now, you need to get away from the plant!” Laksa barked into the comlink.   
“You think an atomic tank can take out this plant? Please. It can resist heavy canonfire, it’s fine.” Krunk was irritatingly nonchalant.    
“You’re just as much of a fool as Blar, even if it doesn’t destroy the plant, you will burn instead!” 

  
  
  


Talay waited anxiously for Spleenk’s signal to drop the tank over the flower. He barely knew the Glogon, but he already had a feeling that not all of his impulses could be trusted. He was close enough to the sonar that he could see it for himself if he looked over his shoulder. And...just as the map on the sonar showed the carrier was nearly directly on top of the flower...

“Drop it now!” Spleenk shouted.   
Holding his breath, Talay pressed the release hold on the tank, just as the indicator showed they were directly above the target.    
“The item you were carrying is no longer on board! Please make sure that it was not dropped in the event of a freak accident!” The computerized voice blared. 

  
  


Laksa could see the tank falling directly on top of the plant - and for the moment, Krunk was oblivious as he poked at the flower’s opened petals. Laksa could just barely see him over the top of the cliff. The most he could do was duck in cover and hope he wouldn’t be consumed by the explosion of heat that was going to erupt at any moment. 

Krunk looked up as the tank’s shadow grew larger over him.    
“Um…” Was all he could muster, before becoming part of the small mushroom cloud that consumed the flower. 

Laksa’s first instinct was to shield his eyes, but beforehand, he clenched his jaw and focused on where Krunk stood.    
He had expected to see what would happen when the tank impacted, but his vision was immediately consumed by an explosion of light and dirt. The ground beneath him rattled, forcing him to collapse backwards as he was showered in soil.

It was felt down to the beach, where the waves were rattled into greater heights than what was usual.    
  


The whole of the Resisty felt the quake as it rattled over the village and up to the cliff holding the large ship mechanics.    
“A quake!” Tomkha shrieked in alarm, leaping from where he was playing on the floor and running to clutch at Udon’s robes.    
  
G’raggo reached Talay’s children before she could, as they all hollered in panic. 

  
  


When the rumbling stopped, the baker started shouting at the staff to make sure no dining ware was broken - and was relieved to find that the display cabinet didn’t have so much of a crack. He leaned into it with a sigh of relief, as an exquisite vase of purple flowers tipped off the edge and fell to the floor. 

  
  


A deep cavity bore into the ground. All that was left of the flower were some burning scraps of petal and smoking roots. Some chunks of metal laid at the bottom, red heat radiating from the middle and slowly fading. 

Laksa was caked in dirt by the time the ground settled. He staggered to his feet, coughing haggardly as it caked in his throat.    
He shut his eyes as they stung against recovering from the blinding whiteness that consumed his vision moments before. Once again he fell, this time to his knees, to further recover.    
  
When the spotting passed, he tread forth again to see what remained.   
“Hmph!” He collected his comlink. “I told you, you absolute fool.”   
“Connect me to the Tallest on the Massive.” He lifted his voice so not to grumble.   
  


He waited a moment for a response. It didn’t take long for his stomach to turn at the sight of the Tallests when they appeared; he always expected Miyuki.   
“Laksa! You usually don’t call us directly. What’s up, you got that prince?” Tallest Red asked. 

“Almighty Tallest, I regret to inform you that Invader Krunk has failed in his conquest of Serrish.” Laksa announced.   
“He what? Where’s he at?” Tallest Purple demanded, slamming down his paper cup on the arm of his seat.    
Laksa stood aside, revealing a burning square in the grass and a charred, slightly melted pak. “Unfortunately, Krunk won’t be able to speak for his failure.” 

  
“Well...guess we have to find a replacement Invader.” Tallest Red crossed his arms. “Better dig into the guys that didn’t make it in the academy.” He nudged Tallest Purple, who nodded in agreement.    
“As for the fate of Serrish, sirs?” Laksa asked anxiously.   
“Eh, we changed our mind. That beach on Serrish is too cold. Why bother when Itsnothawaii is so much better?” Red slurped on his drink nonchalantly. 

“Uh, good report, though. You keep going trying to get that prince.” Purple waved him away dismissively, and the transmission was cut.

“Well, thank you for wasting everyone’s time!” Laksa shouted at the blank comlink screen. 

He heard Blar heaving behind him. “What’s going on!? I nearly had that blasted pirate!”   
“Well! I’m not surprised you missed him!” Laksa faced him. He gestured to the pit in the ground and the pak. “I’m afraid this whole venture was a failure.” He scoffed.   
  
“Save for the venture of getting my damned door fixed.  _ That’s all I wanted.  _ But I had to get dragged into this nonsense!” He started his walk back down the hill. 

“Who’s going to report this!?” Blar shouted.    
“I already did! But you’re the one that needs to deliver the pak. I have my own tasks to return to.” 

“And what about my task with the pirate?” Blar shouted.   
“He’s on this beach somewhere, I assure you.” Laksa began his descent down the hill. “Oh, and your MADAM is down the cliff; it got rattled when the tank was dropped.” He pointed to where LUCY was rolling down the slope, fading into the distance and sand below. “Check for Krunk’s SIR Unit. I’m not sure if it survived or not.” He gave one last note before departing. 

Laksa spent the journey dusting off as much dirt as he could from himself.    
He could see Dolly and Voon at the bottom - Dolly frantically chasing Voon as she circled in a panicked rush. The nearer he got, the more he could hear them. Soon he was able to notice Kat, just a tiny speck between them.    
  
“Holy shit, he’s alive!” He could barely hear Kat down below.    
Voon was the first to bolt up for him. He held his hand out to her when she reached him, paying no mind to his coating in soil, flinging her arms around his waist. No sooner than had her face touched his chest, she pulled away with a gasp.   
“Oh, you’re all covered in dirt!” She gasped. He could see her cheeks wet with tears.   
  
Laksa rubbed some off her cheek, but only smeared it further.    
“Sorry, dear.” He pulled his hand back. “You’ll have to wait for me to clean up.”   
Dolly arrived behind her, looking equally relieved, but far less distressed - Laksa imagined his makeup would have been smearing if he’d been as upset as Voon.    
“See, I told you he’d be fine.” He patted Voon on the shoulder, then lightly gripped Laksa’s hand.

“Well...I’ll be cleaning myself in the ocean. I don’t want to track all this into the ship…”    
“I guess I’ll get your robe. The uh...carpet just got all that blood cleaned out of it, so I’m sure you won’t want to track anything.” He cleared his throat. 

“Thank you…” Laksa sighed. He looked at Voon as she anxiously edged closer to him. “Just hold on. You can hug me when I’ve cleaned up.” 

  
  
  


“Did we get it!?” Was the first thing Talay heard when his ears stopped ringing. 

“Did we get the flower?!” Lard Nar called again.    
“Well, there’s a big hole where it used to be.” Shujal responded quickly. “So, yeah! I guess!”    
  
Talay nearly stumbled to the viewing window to see for himself, wobbling on his feet as his balance was off.    
“Did anyone else lose some hearing in the sound of the blast?” He grabbed the back of Lard Nar’s seat to hold himself up.    
  
“I’m surprised my inner ear didn’t completely break! I’m an old man!” Shujal laughed heartily.    
“Can we just get back to my kids?” Talay’s knees shook. “They’ll be terrified and I’m going to leak if I think about it too much.”    
“Leak what?” Shujal asked, brow raised.   
“...Never mind.” Talay didn’t have the energy to explain.

  
  


The carrier ship returned to the mechanics, completely docking on the ground outside the facility. Lard Nar rose from his seat, just as shaky as Talay had been, but having been seated during the impact, was stronger.    
“Come on,” He heaved Talay’s arm over his shoulders. “Let’s get back to the others.” He breathed out.

“Too bad we never found that Irken.” Talay groaned.    
“Oh, we will.” Lard Nar’s expression turned sour. “Even if it’s dead...we’ll find it.”    
“I...will need to step inside the ship for just a little bit.” Talay raised a finger.    
“I don’t think I can walk all the way back to the bed and breakfast right now.”    
  
“That’s fair.” Lard Nar hauled him into the mechanic’s bay, where the triplets were weeping in G’raggo’s arms.    
Talay single-mindedly pulled away from Lard Nar and hobbled to G’raggo. “Hey, pass them over.” He reached, before taking a small stumble. 

  
G’raggo stooped to catch him around the middle. “I...I am going to bring you all inside.”    
“Good, that’s where I want to be. Just take us to our couch.” Talay struggled to get upright, but was able to lean into his shoulder and gather up the children.    
They sank into him, each whimpering for comfort.    
“I told you I’d be back…” Talay assured them, again and again, in multiple ways, until G’raggo had them laid out together on the couch in their room.    
  
“Do you need me to leave?” G’raggo looked away anxiously as Talay started undoing the front of his jumpsuit.    
“Sure. Help the captain.” Talay mumbled tiredly. “He’ll need someone whose balance hasn’t been thrown off. I wonder how Laksa is coping…” 

“Who?” G’raggo asked.    
“Nevermind...just go talk with Lard Nar.” Talay couldn’t focus on too many thoughts at once. He had the children to focus on. 

Serrish had not been an easy first planet for them. The most he could do was console them through their biggest scare.   
  


But if he was to do this again...what else could be in store for them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That brings us to the climax of the Serrish arc! Just one more before moving on to the next thing.


	23. An Advantage

It had barely been a few hours since the atomic tank was dropped on the flower. Lard Nar took a small group to investigate the impact site, while others went about the village to explain what had happened - and apologize for the lack of warning.   
He was surprised by the square shape in the grass. It wasn’t far from the crater where the flower once was. There were still pillars of smoke rising from it, where the roots smoldered.   
  
“Well. So much for the Invader. Didn’t even figure out which one it was.” He kicked over the dirt patch. “Laksa probably ran off with the pak.” He grumbled. 

“The little robot isn’t here either.” He heard Spleenk behind him. “But uh...you sure Laksa’s alive?”   
“Didn’t see his watch on the path he took. No burned out Vortian shapes. Just this guy.” He pointed at the burned out grass. 

Spleenk shrugged. “Okay.” 

  
  


“Not much else we can do up here besides...enjoy the view.” Lard Nar looked out over the cliff. “I didn’t get a chance to enjoy the scenery the last time. Thank you again, G’raggo for carrying me up.” He looked up at the Reptoid, who was looking down over the cliffside.   
  
“Hey, there’s an Irken on the pebble beach.” He pointed. 

“What!?” Lard Nar dashed to his side to see for himself.   
He could see the little green Irken pacing around on the unpopulated beachside, looking as though he were talking to himself.   
  
“Right. The Tallest probably sent a replacement. Better go get it.” He snapped his fingers and pointed dramatically at the Irken.   
“What...what are you doing?” G’raggo asked.   
“It...it’s a signal to. To get him.” Lard Nar pointed. “Go...go get him.” He stuttered.   
G’raggo chortled. “Sure thing, boss, but we can’t climb this side, there’s nothing to walk on. Not unless you’ve got a harness right now and I can scale down.” He held a hand upright to demonstrate the lack of incline. 

“Huuuh, yes that’s true…” Lard Nar realized. “But it would take too long to go around and--” He could have sworn he saw something out the corner of his eye.  
Spleenk was swan diving into the ocean below.   
Ixane and Schloonktapooxis had already started shouting for him to come back, but it was too late.   
  
Lard Nar shrieked and rushed to the edge of the cliff where they were standing.   
“What is he doing!?” He got there just in time to see a splash in the water - and not a moment later, Spleenk popping up several meters from where he fell.   
Lard Nar sank to his knees in relief. “Ohhh, I didn’t know he could do that…” He wheezed.   
  
“Hm. I didn’t know he could do that either.” Ixane pointed. Spleenk had swam to the water’s edge, hiding behind a rock in wait for the Irken to turn its back.   
When it did, Spleenk reached around with his longer arms and grabbed the Irken by the pak, yanking it backwards and splashing backwards into the water, gripping it in all of his limbs. 

“Where did THAT come from!?” Lard Nar gawked.   
“Time’s ticking, boss.” G’raggo grabbed him under one arm and started to run down the regular path to the beach.   
Lard Nar could only grip his arm with all of his might at the speed at which the Reptoid took, even at the steep angles and sharp turns he took at the return to flat land. 

He barely noticed Udon was on the beach with Tomkha (who was playing in the water), and only found the ability to draw breath when G’raggo reached the edge of the sandy beach, and had to make careful steps around the larger pebbles to get to the flat side of the cliff, where Spleenk was now grappling with the very wet and confused Irken. 

“Sir! I got him!” Spleenk enthusiastically crowed.  
“Good! Don’t lose him! And also, don’t do anything like that again without telling me!” Lard Nar squirmed out of G’raggo’s grip as they were joined by a few others. 

He looked over his shoulder to get a count. 

  
  


  
Assembled behind him were Ixane, Momo Larloch, a few Arachos and Kaffka - the spike-chinned Musci, and the blue Mantisoid that G’raggo was friends with. 

He cleared his throat and jumped into an imposing stance.  
  
“Irken skum! I am Captian Lard Nar, leader of the Resisty! We exist to rebel and undo all the terror that your Empire has wrought upon the galaxy and --”   
“The Resisty?” The Irken stopped trying to escape for a moment. “That’s a--”   
“-- _ And restore peace where it has been stripped! _” 

He waved for G’raggo. 

“Apprehend that Invader!” He commanded.   
G’raggo lunged ahead, sprinting faster than the Irken could, even when he managed to break away from Spleenk, who inadvertently released it in shock at the rush.   
“Wait! I wasn’t even an Invader! My name’s Lork, I was a tactician! I defected and now I’m a pirate!” The Irken shouted as it darted in and out of G’raggo’s reach.   
  
  


Lard Nar took only a moment to register the new information.   
Just when he thought they had escaped...another pirate.   
“ _ Apprehend that pirate! _ ” His voice nearly cracked as he raised it further.   
G’raggo was quickly joined by Kaffkha, a few arachos, and Momo Larloch.   
  
Lork was ambushed as he made a sharp turn around the cliff wall and spun just before G’raggo could snatch him by the antenna, brushing under his palm. The curve, however, ended up just narrow enough for G’raggo to grab him again, this time by his head.   
“Got ‘em!” He tossed him just slightly enough to catch him by the shoulders and hold him pinned. 

Lard Nar approached Lork, arms folded behind his back, hoping he looked more serious and dignified than he had when he arrived.

  
  


“Let me go, I had nothing to do with the flower!” Lork squirmed.   
“But are you involved with the pirates that attacked us a few days ago?” Lard Nar prodded at the Irken.   
“Where the captain’s dead by now?” Lork snarled.   
“No. That was a bluff.” Lard Nar crossed his arms. “As they would have figured out by now.” 

Lork looked strangely relieved. “Oh! The captain’s alive!” He grinned.   
“But the Invader isn’t.” Lard Nar leaned in. 

“If you let me go, I can get you around my crew! And the Invader’s name!” Lork held up his hands in surrender.   
“You’re an Irken and a pirate. How can we hold you to your word?” G’raggo hissed.   
  
“Uh…” Lork looked between G’raggo and Lard Nar uncomfortably.   
Lard Nar noticed a little red disk attached to the Irken’s coat.   
“What’s that?” He asked.   
  
“Oh. Neat, isn’t it? It came off my SIR unit when it exploded.” Lork shrugged nonchalantly.   
“I thought only Invaders got SIRs.” G’raggo asked.   
“ _ I stole it _.” Lork sneered, baring his teeth mischievously. 

“Huh.” Lard Nar crossed his arms. “Drop him, G’raggo.” He nodded at him. “I suppose anyone who can steal from an Invader is worth trusting.”  
G’raggo set Lork on the ground. He rubbed his antennae vigorously at his scalp to relieve the tension, then stood upright.

“But you’re on thin ice for being associated with the pirates that attacked us.” Lard Nar gravely spoke.

“So uh...the Invader was Krunk…” Lork started, only to be interrupted by an eager Slpeenk.

“Wait, he’s dead!? I didn’t even know!” Spleenk whooped. “That’s justice!”  
“Yes, one less Invader to ruin worlds.” Lard Nar patted him on the elbow.

“Anyway. As you can see, my friend here has had a bad history with that particular Irken, so excuse us if we’re slow to trust your word.” He silently allowed Spleenk to celebrate by prancing around in the water behind him, where Schloonktapooxis joined him, spinning in place above the water.   
  


“Now. If you’ll come with us to our ship. We’ll need that way around your...friends.” 

  
  
  
  


Talay was feeling better after being rattled by the impact of the atomic tank.   
The children, however, were still inconsolable. There would be no returning them to the Bed and Breakfast until they were completely settled.   
Even Tomkha cuddled up with him to cool his nerves. He settled as he ‘helped’ Talay sing nursery rhymes to the triplets to settle them.   
  
“ _ Five little Raklem went to the river _ _   
_ _ They swished and swam and played in the river _ _   
_ _ Then one little Raklem climbed out to sleep by the river _ _   
_ _ While the other four went splash-splash-splash _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Four-- _”

They were interrupted by the main door knocking, just as Goji and Holly were starting to catch up with Acai’s pace in their understanding of the song.

“Hi?” Talay called, his wrists and fingers pressed together so they looked like the maw of a predatory animal.

Lard Nar poked in through the door. “I thought I’d check on you and...let you know that we got an Irken.” He cleared his throat. “So...if you don’t want flashbacks to what happened, don’t come out until we give you the clear. You’ll have to go back to the Bed and Breakfast soon anyway, but...” 

“What, seriously? I thought we killed the Irken?” Talay interrupted, sitting up from lounging on his side.   
  
“Nope. Different one. He’s a turncoat who hangs out with pirates these days. We’ll be keeping him in the brig ” Lard Nar sat on the arm of the couch.   
  
“Thanks. So...unless you’re going to sit here and count down Raklem in the river with me, you should...probably do whatever you need with that Irken.” Talay watched his daughters clap their wrists together in an attempt to copy the motion he and Tomkha had been doing.   
  
“We stopped! We have to go back to ten!” Tomkha exclaimed.   
“Oh, we can continue from four, it--”   
“ _ TEN LITTLE RAKLEM WENT TO THE RIVER!” _Tomkha almost shouted and carried on the song. The triplets jumped and watched Tomkha, frozen in place with discomfort.

  
Lard Nar patted Talay on the shoulder.   
“I think you’ve got it from here.” He departed, leaving Talay with the steadily calming Tomkha, who was also getting too enthused with shaping his hands into jaws. _   
  
_

  
  
  


“Is it really necessary to keep me here?” Lork coughed lightly as he looked around the bedroom he had been shoved into. “And this whole thing has bits of prison ships, shouldn’t you have a brig?” 

“Because we are not a prison ship, we’re a rebellion. And we thought it symbolic to not have a brig. Though now in hindsight, I see why that was a bad idea.” Lard Nar looked around the room Lork had been shoved into.  
“Sure is better than my own quarters…” Lork flopped onto the couch. “Mostly because they’re not mine and I have to share them. It gets cramped.” 

Lard Nar pulled out a chair from the small circular dining table on the opposite side of the couch and sat with his arms over the back.   
“So, what’s your plan for getting back to them if you’re stopping us from another ambush?” He asked.   
Lork frowned. “You think I, as a pirate and tactician, will tell?” He asked.   
Lard Nar gritted his teeth. 

“I should have considered that.”   
Lork sat leaned on the palm of his hand. “You’re not that great at thinking ahead, are you?” He asked smugly.   
“That’s none of your business!” Lard Nar sputtered. 

“So, you need a tactician.” Lork scrubbed the edges of his claws together. “And I need to get off the trail of one Officer Blar.” He watched Lard Nar rise slowly in recognition.   
  
“The guy who was with Laksa?” He asked.   
“He’s got a first generation MADAM unit that he refuses to give up? Wears the blue uniform? Takes things a little literally?” Lork cued.

  
“Well, I don’t know about that MADAM or the literalism, but we met on the Chumroth Cliffs. He also didn’t seem to think ahead on bringing Laksa to the place our prince died at.” Lard Nar rubbed his chin thoughtfully.   
  
“He’s been chasing me ever since I defected.” Lork revealed. “Which is part of why I hid out with the Tencuul pirates, but then he got onto me there.”   
“So, basically we’re your escape?” Lard Nar crossed his arms.   
“Oh, you do catch on!” Lork grinned. “I can be your tactician if you give me refuge.” 

Lard Nar crossed his arms. “Frankly, no one here is going to be pleased with your presence. I’ve got a friend whose children were kidnapped by an Invader - he’s only just gotten them back. And a bit more than just them.” 

Lork lounged on his seat. “What’s that matter to me? I’m not interested in being a prisoner, and you probably don’t want an Irken to be your prisoner either.” He reached around and tapped his pak. “Not with my bag of tricks.”   
  
“And why are you cooperating after we ambushed you?” Lard Nar raised a brow.   
“I like your spirit.” Lork grinned. “Besides, my pirates held me hostage for a bit before I joined them.”   
“So, basically you just...stay where you land?” Lard Nar raised a brow.   
“Until the next thing comes. Besides, Blar is going to still think I’m with the pirates and be chasing after them for a while. By the time he realizes I’m long gone, he won’t know where to start again.”   
  


Lard Nar huffed. “Right, fantastic.” He stamped his foot, irritated.   
“Look, you’re not going to want an Irken running around blabbing where you’ve been and what you’ve been doing. You really want this information and then set me loose?” Lork challenged.   
  
“You offered the information to keep your antennae from popping off.” Lard Nar crossed his arms.   
“Yeah well...I’m here. Might as well tag along while you leave so Blar won’t chase us, and my friends on _ the Griswold _ .”   
“And I thought our ship’s name was terrible.” Lard Nar rolled his eyes.   
“A lot of great work has been produced there.” 

Lork leaned forward. “Look, just let me get you in the clear. Now that I know the Captain’s alive, I can be settled, and I can hitch back with them later.”   
“Like when your Enforcement Officer comes after us?” Lard Nar frowned suspiciously.   
“Oh, damn it.” Lork flopped over. “Got ahead before I could get started.” 

“We’re not going anywhere anytime soon. Our canons are still under repair. So, you’re just going to have to wait here. In the...Not Brig.” 

“Whatever will I do?” Lork lounged, crossing his legs. “Best cell I’ve ever been in!” He shouted as Lard Nar departed in a huff. 

  
  
  


Lard Nar arrived at the Bridge, where he found G’raggo waiting against a wall.   
“Hey. Captain. I’ve been waiting all day to show you something.” He cleared his throat.   
Lard Nar stood back a little so he could look up at G’raggo more comfortably.   
“And what is that?” He asked.   
“Some stuff we found in the Invader’s base.” He stopped Lard Nar as he opened his mouth to scold him. “Nothing like a weapon that we know of. But I did find his travel log!” He pulled something from the deep pocket of his pants and passed a tablet to him.   
  
“Wow, what else can you put in there?” Lard Nar gawked as he took the tablet.   
“That’s what I want to find out!” G’raggo laughed deep in his throat.   
  
Lard Nar just missed a little flash on the screen, displaying a notice. It blinked away as soon as Lard Nar tried to catch it - and of course, it was passcode-locked.

“What’s this then?” Lard Nar mused, picking up the screen. He didn’t have the hardware necessary to bypass Krunk’s codes.   
“I’ll have to get Talay’s help to unlock it…” He muttered to himself. He was sure if he stepped in again, he’d have to restart the counting song once again.   
Out of sheer curiosity, typed in a guess of the password.   
  


Just to see what would happen.

_ IrkRules _ _   
  
_

The screen changed to display a short list. 

“Huh...” Lard Nar felt a little bit of disappointment at how quickly he had resolved it.  
  


“G’raggo, look at this!” He waved for him to stoop down when he noticed what was on the notification. “Look at this!” He tapped the screen eagerly. 

  
“Invader Locations, Invasion progress…” He read it out loud. 

  
  


**Attention All Invaders: Location List Update: ** **  
** **  
** **Invader Skutch on assignment: Planet Pibos**

**Invader Floobee on assignment: Planet Leoia**

**Invader Grapa on assignment: Planet Marus**

**Invader Skutch on assignment: Planet Chupagawa**

**Invader Sploodge on new assignment: Planet Ganope VII**

**Invader Poot on new assignment: Planet Sumeon**

**Invader Yuli still on assignment: Planet Dengurn**

  
  


“Well, well! Isn’t this the perfect cheat sheet.” Lard Nar beamed. “And who knows what else is in here…” He wondered.   
“Guess we’ll have some plans on where to go next.” G’raggo suggested.   
“Yes! We’ll look at a star chart! We’ll figure out who’s nearest!” Lard Nar bobbed eagerly at the knees. “Why, we could even pick up reinforcements along the way!” He beamed. 

“This...this changes everything.” He drummed his thumbs over the screen.   
“What else did he have in here?” 

  
  
  


At long last, the door was back on the caravan. Laksa was glad for it.   
With the work paid for, he could leave as quickly as possible.   
“I wasn’t even awake the last time I left.” He told Dolly as they entered the caravan, having returned from cleaning himself of the dirt that coated him at the beach. Dolly had done what he could to clean Laksa’s clothes in the ocean, but realized they would need more force after the initial removal. 

When they entered, they found Voon trying to coax Kat into reading a romance novel she was deeply invested in. She was wearing the gray velvet dress that Dolly had made for her. 

Laksa sighed despondently. This would be the only chance she had before they left.

“Voon, do you want to see where it happened?” Laksa called her.  
Voon stopped in the middle of her summary of the story. “Uhh..”   
She hesitated in thought for a moment, and slowly shook her head.   
“I...want to leave.” She swallowed. “Maybe if that quake hadn’t happened…and I’m just...getting cold feet.”   
  
Laksa nodded slowly. “I...wasn’t prepared for what I’d see. At this time, it would be better to prepare you in advance.” He cleared his throat uncomfortably and turned to Dolly. “Besides...you’ll have to return to the Massive soon. And you’ve only just arrived.

  
“Oh, I’ll see if I can extend my visit a little bit.” Dolly grasped Laksa’s shoulders as he settled into the pilot’s seat. He leaned into it, closing his eyes comfortably, then grasped Dolly’s wrist.   
“Besides, Kat needs to learn to work distance jobs.” Dolly rubbed circles with his thumbs into Laksa’s shoulders. 

“Aw, but you said that this was a break!” Kat sighed.   
“Learning never stops, dear.” Dolly turned to give her a playful wink. 

“You can call the Tallest when we’ve left.” Laksa sighed.  
“And go where?” Dolly asked.   
“Perhaps to get some of your things from the Massive if you’re here longer than anticipated.” Laksa watched the ceiling doors of the mechanics open for liftoff.   
  


Dolly seated himself beside Laksa, watching his melancholy expression, until they were above ground, crossing the sea strait   
“Voon.” Laksa called. “We’re passing over the Chumroth Cliffs. If you would like to see.” 

Voon approached the view screen as the ship slowed just enough for her to catch a glimpse.   
“There.” Laksa pointed. “You can see the ring of rust where the tank used to be. Your father was a few yards in front of it.”   
Voon grasped his sleeve for support as her knees went weak.

“Come on.” Dolly patted her shoulder once the cavravan passed over the open ocean and was able to launch up into space. “Let’s get you settled down.”

Dolly did not return to the seat at Laksa’s side. Kat even scurried up to the loft where the others had gone.   
Laksa was left alone to set a trajectory for the Massive.   
Left alone with his thoughts.

He huffed miserably, thinking back to the shade in the rock of the Chumroth cliffs. He thought it would have faded out by now from over a decade of wind and weather. But there it was...

Laksa stepped away from the pilot’s seat, the trajectory set, and stiffly climbed up the loft. He pushed aside the sliding door into his side of it, finding Dolly fixing up the layers of bedding.   
“I knew you’d be coming in here.” Dolly gracefully sat on the end, crossing his legs with an inviting pat.   
Laksa dropped wearily into his bed amid the collection of blankets, lowly groaning.   
“I didn’t think that was how I was going to return.” He felt Dolly recline next to him, gracefully leaning on his side.   
“And did it do anything for you?” Dolly asked.   
Laksa rolled over and pressed his chin into Dolly’s shoulder.   
“I feel like I’ve been torn open.” He groaned.

“You’ve had a pretty long day.” Dolly patted his shoulder. “What you need is a properly heated shower after that rinse in the ocean, and a nap.”   
Laksa only sighed, leaning into the bed. “I’ll rest first.”   
Dolly shrugged, reclining at the pillows. “Alright then, just thought you looked cold.”   
  
“It’s a good thing you’re here, then.” Laksa leaned into him.   
Dolly cleared his throat and gingerly draped his arms over Laksa. “Um...of course, darling.” He curled his hands. “Only, you smell like the ocean too…” He resisted a gag.   
  
“Fine.” Laksa pulled himself up from the bed and grabbed his robe. “I’ll be back.” 

  
  
  


Lard Nar returned to Talay, finding all four of the children with him had fallen asleep.   
“Talay.” He approached. “I think I’ve found something that will turn some tides.”   
Talay looked over his shoulder, pinned under the weight of the children. 

“Watcha got there?” He noticed the tablet. “Well, G’raggo found it in the Invader’s base. But...it--it’s a list!” Lard Nar nearly shouted, but lowered his voice to a hush.   
“We’ve got six Invaders on missions right now. And we know where they are.” He rushed over, showing him the screen.

“Also that pirate we captured is being...weirdly cooperative. I don’t trust that. But he can get us around his friends and has offered tactical advice.”   
“And did you accept that?” Talay was more focused on looking through the screen.   
“I will when I can trust his word. But since he’s on the run and is in with the pirates that attacked us, he’s got a lot of proving to do.” Lard Nar crossed his arms.

“Let the games begin, I guess.” Talay returned the screen. “Now, I need to get some rest before I have to go all the way down that hill again. I do not have the fitness to keep making that trek.” 

“I’ll be sure to send G’raggo with you next time. Have you seen Udon?” Lard Nar asked.   
  
“She’s in her room. Seems kinda down. That’s why she put Tomkha in with me.” He patted Tomkha on the head.   
“Must have been about seeing Laksa today.” Lard Nar sighed. “I’ll have a word with her, then see you out.” He left Talay, then went across the sitting area to Udon’s room. He knocked gently.   
  
“Udon?” He called. “Just checking in.”   
There was a moment of quiet. “Come in.”   
Lard Nar stepped in, finding Udon laying Donyx on one of the beds.   
“Um...do you want to talk about what happened?” He asked.   
“No. No, I’m afraid it will take too long to explain my...delicate relationship with my nephew. But, you’ve seen how painful this planet is for him.” Udon rose from the bedside where she was sitting. 

“Him and...the prince? How did I not know?” Lard Nar confounded.   
“They wanted privacy before they announced their relationship, but they never got a chance.” Udon sighed. “Sometimes I think the Laksa I knew died with Ratha. He was never the same afterwards.” She cupped Donyx’s cheek as he slept, prompting him to stick out his tiny tongue and lick his lips.   
  
She looked over her shoulder at Lard Nar. “Have you heard enough?” She asked.   
“Well, you’re still vague, but there’s clearly a lot of personal issues I’d best stay out of.” Lard Nar stepped back awkwardly. “Clearly, I’m over my head here.” 

“You have no idea.” Udon closed her eyes solemnly.   
“On...that note, bothering you now was a mistake, and I’ll be leaving.” Lard Nar shut the door and leaned against it.   
  
The next few days were going to be uncomfortable to say the least, while the canons were being prepared.   
At least as long as Udon continued to be somber for the events that transpired between her and Laksa...however far those events would have gone.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearing the close of the Serrish Arc! Everyone's had an absolutely exhausting day! All they need to do...is leave.


	24. The Way to Pibos

The next few days were comparatively peaceful.    
Lard Nar and the engineers of the Resisto aided in the reconstruction of the ship’s canons, while others carried on updates within. 

Talay, meanwhile, separated himself from the noise with Udon at the Bed and Breakfast. They took some time to coax the anxious triplets toward exposure to the textures of the outdoors.   
  
The most exciting moment of the days after the flower incident was Holly dipping a foot into the ocean as it washed up on shore - before she scurried away with a shriek at the cold temperature. After that, Tomkha was the only one who would go into the water - and would frequently need to be retrieved by Spleenk when he washed out too far from Udon’s reach.    
  
It eventually became clear that he was doing it deliberately. 

  
  


On the fourth day of work, the ship was turned to face the ocean, its canons with pristine new shells and wiring. Lard Nar sat at his seat in the cockpit, as Shloonktapooxis eagerly awaited permission for a test fire.    
“Right, you’re all clear.” Lard Nar heard Shugal over the comlink.   
“Excellent! Schloonktapooxis, fire!”    
  
With a delighted cackle, Schloonktapooxis slammed his face on the button, rather than using his tail. Faint violet beams of light shot out across the ocean, and almost seemed to vanish into the distance when they ended. Lard Nar could barely see a distant ball where they fizzled out.    
  
“Well! I’ll say that works!” Lard Nar took a standing leap in his seat, as his crew celebrated behind him. “And all we had to do was deal with a stupid Invader!”    
  
  
When Talay and his small group returned from the beach, Shujal held Lard Nar back. “Say, one leader to another...if you’re ever in need of help, we’ll stick our necks out for you, eh?” He clapped him on the shoulder. “Just give me a call and I’ll see what I can do for you. We owe you big time for the flower.” 

“Oh! You’ve already done our canons free of charge, I’d say we’re even.” Lard Nar hesitantly tried to pull away.    
“Nahh, it’s on me.” Shujal grinned. “You go on. Save more worlds. Kick in some Irken teeth. Call this a home base, why don’t you?” 

“You know...yeah! We’re actually in need of one. I guess we’ll be back at some point eventually.” Lard Nar slowly smiled.   
“Stay safe now!” Shujal released him and waved as he went up the stairs. 

  
  
  


G’raggo was charged with hauling Lork out of the room he was ‘imprisoned’ in once Talay and his family were settled in their room, sure to not see the Irken.    
He was dropped at the navigational controls with Spleenk and two of the large-headed gray aliens in masks - the Grawlic brothers Norphoon and Walkoom.    
“Take us away from where your pirates normally survey.” Lard Nar commanded him, as the brothers leaned over to watch over his shoulders.   
“And no tricks, Tactician!” He added. 

“Fine, fine!” Lork entered the coordinates. “And where exactly do you want to go?” Lork looked over his shoulder.    
“Um…” Lard Nar looked at the list he had copied from Krunk’s communications screen. “Planet Pibos is the nearest from here.” He decided.   
“Pibos it is, sir.”    
  
Lard Nar could have sworn he heard a venomous sting to Lork’s tone.    
“Yeah! Pibos! What’s on Pibos?” Spleenk questioned as the coordinates were set.    
“The next Invader! Also Roongis’ home world!” Lard Narlooked over at the seemingly mouthless long-necked creature who was aiding at the controls.    
“In short...our next liberation.”    
  


  
Lard Nar waited with baited breath for any sign of attack from the pirates - and had nothing for nearly an hour as the ship tore through space out of the Hoog system.    
“Well, we’re out of the system, so we’re out of reach.” Lork called out to Lard Nar. “Back to my cell, then?” He asked derisively.    
“Especially with that attitude!” Lard Nar shouted. 

“I got him this time.” Momo Larloch strode from where they were standing, grabbing Lork by the arm.   
  
Before they could depart, Tomkha tore into the cockpit. “Hi, everyone!” He shouted. “I just took a nap!” He proclaimed, scurrying around to Lard Nar and scrambling into his chair beside him. “And I had a dream that my Mommy was alive!” 

An uncomfortable silence cut through the cockpit. Udon and Talay arrived with the other children, in time to hear Tomkha telling the crew about his dream. 

“--and then  _ she  _ was carrying the Star Jar, even though she wasn’t before!” 

“Ooh, tell us about the Star Jar!” Lork beamed from the corner he and Momo Larloch and tucked into for the Vortians to have room to come through.    
“Um. It had stars. And it was a jar. You look like the guy that shot my papa with a blaster.” Tomkha leaned backwards over the chair’s arm to look at Lork. “But you’re bigger than him.” He pointed. 

Lard Nar snarled. “Back to his not-cell!” His tone rose. With the path clear, and Talay nervously skirting away from Lork, clutching his children tight to him, Momo Larloch continued to carry Lork back. 

Tomkha had taken a moment to pause as he settled back into a seated position. 

“Sasa was sad.” He remarked. Before Lard Nar could question anything - remembering that he had called Laksa “Sasa”, Tomkha scrambled out of the seat again.    
“Time for Captain Jeremy!” Tomkha yelled. 

  
  


Talay quietly eased in beside Lard Nar, who gently lifted a sleeping Acai into his arms.    
“Did Tomkha seriously see--” Talay swallowed. “He must not have been much older than my own kids.” He gathered up Holly, who now had space by Goji with Acai being held by Lard Nar.   
“I don’t know…” Lard Nar watched one of the former prisoners bring what was now the “usual” selection of dining and cooking wares - and some extras just in case of surprise side characters. 

“He did see it.” Udon joined them. “That’s the first indication I’ve seen that he remembers.”    
  


“Oh...I know he remembers…” Talay stroked Goji’s cheek. “Some things just stick around forever.”    
Lard Nar and Udon looked away, each with their own glum expressions.    
  
“I fell off my mom’s back and she didn’t notice for two minutes!” Spleenk shouted from across the room, having heard some of the conversation.    
He noticed some uncomfortable stares as attention slowly turned to him.    
  
“But uh, I didn’t notice how long it had been until she came back. I played in the mud.” Spleenk blinked, and eventually stared out long enough to see Talay’s concerned 

Raise of a brow.    
“Hey, I had fifteen siblings, of course she didn’t notice!” Spleenk crossed all of his arms. 

“Oh yeah, Grogons do that.” Talay remembered.    
  
“I remember EVERYTHING!” Schloonktapooxis swerved behind Lard Nar.    
“And the Captain was there…” He beamed. “And that Mad Scientist guy was there.”    
Talay raised a hand to stop him. “Wait, what do you mean you remember ‘everything’?”    
  
“Schloonktapooxis was an artificial creation by the Irken scientist Doctor Charb.” Lard Nar explained. “And I was forced to work with him in my short stay at the Vort prison. If not for him, I might still be on Vort…” Lard Nar smiled at the floating cone. “Soon after Schloonktapooxis was created, I escaped with him and a few of our old workmates,” Lard Nar paused to look at Ido-Iko-Ibo and Turgh listening to Tomkha’s melodrama.    
“And uh, StEVE was also made in that lab.” He pointed at the triangle-headed robot. “We found Spleenk and Ixane in research cells and broke them out, stole the last Vort ship, and escaped.” 

“How...did you steal a whole ship?” Talay raised a brow.    
“That’s a story for another time.” Lard Nar cleared his throat. “Because after that, we just...kept picking up friends. We liberated a whole Aracho hive from a prison ship...Kaffkha, Roongis, and the twins were stranded on an asteroid stop…” He saw the slimey Schloogh with an orange tuft of hair flop over on her side. “Marge was with them too.”

“So uh...what’s his story?” Talay pointed at the automaton with a floating brain working at the computer.   
“...You don’t want to know.” Lard Nar clicked his tongue.   
“Yeah, I kinda do?” Talay raised a brow.   
“That’s what I said! Until I found out!  _ You don’t want to know!  _ Spleenk found out and told me! And then I didn’t want to know.”   
Talay looked at Spleenk for answers. He anxiously shook his head. “Noooo.” He mouthed.

“I guess I’ll have a lot of my own catching up to do.” He sighed. “Not going to get to know everyone on that alone.” 

“Ooh!” Spleenk suddenly shouted from his place at the view screen. “There’s a circus on Pibos!” He called out.    
“What kind?!” Tomkha gleefully jumped up, with two of his ‘cast members’ (a teaspoon and a butter knife) in hand.   
“Kaungarva! Like Momo Larloch!” Spleenk pointed at the lanky black-toned rebel in red robes.    
  
“...Oh. I’d...rather not…” Lard Nar slowly stuttered. “With what happened…”   
“It shouldn’t be a problem if I’m here.” Momo Larlock scrubbed one of their claws against the other.    
“A whole group of them is bound to be less understanding!” 

“It’s the uhhhhh Scradox family!” Spleenk added.    
  
Udon covered her mouth slowly. “Oh.  _ Them _ .”    
“What do you mean ‘them’?” Lard Nar asked.   
“They...used to work with my family.” Udon cleared her throat. “They’re travellers, so they weren’t there when…” She halted. “When it happened.” 

“When what happened?” G’raggo spoke up.   
“When the planet Kaungarva was destroyed by the Massive.” Talay finished. “They threatened war against the Irkens...they were the first planet the Massive destroyed.” He rubbed Goji on the cheek. “And of course, I designed it.” 

“You weren’t the only one.” Lard Nar grasped his shoulder. “And it’s not like they know who did it, anyway.’ He added a little pat with his fingers.    
“Them being here is weird enough.” Talay looked over at Momo Larloch, still leaning against the wall as they watched Tomkha smack a ‘grapefruit’ spoon on the same butterknife he had before.    
“Stab! Stab! Stab!” He pantomimed.    
  
“What is he doing over there…” Lard Nar shook his head. 

“Besides. We’re not going to Pibos for a vacation. We’ve got work to do.” Lard Nar retrieved Krunk’s screen from where he had tucked it.    
He delved deeper into the file under Invader Skutch, down to his exact coordinates. There was no information on his tactic at the time.    
  
He read the coordinates for the circus’ location and grumbled.    
It just so happened that they were the same. Any Invader worth their guts would be smart enough to act and blend in through the middle of an event as large as a carnival. 

Which meant the potential that the Invader had already begun.

  
  
  
  
  


The last thing Blar wanted after all of this was for a younger Irken to be berating him. A younger Irken that had somehow managed to become his superior officer. ‘Nothing to do with being taller’ he had said.

Of course it was because he was taller. 

“Not only did you have a traitor slip through your fingers again, but you also abandoned an Invader to die! And you still won’t replace your MADAM!” Chief Flurdnoor seethed.    
“I’ll replace it when it completely loses functionality.” Blar clenched his fists impatiently.    
“The LUCY model is doing you no good! The other officers are outperforming you with MABELs, for crying out loud!” Flurdnoor fixed the false mustache that was almost falling off his face.    
  
“If you’re refusing to upgrade...then I’ll have to give you an additional assistant.” The round Irken huffed.   
“I don’t need more help.” Blar tried to insist, but Flurdnoor was already speaking into his comlink.   
“Yeah, send in the kid.” He uttered quietly.    
  
Within a second, there was a loud scurrying. Blar was surprised when the door slid open to reveal a young Irken with antennae that stood upright and pointed towards one another.    
“Officer Eeno reporting, sir! What horrible scum do you have for me to collect on this, my first assignment!” He marched to Flurdnoor’s desk.   
  
“I’m assigning you to Officer Blar. He’ll train you. You’ll keep him in line.” Flurdnoor pointed at each of them.   
“Do I get a MADAM?” Eeno beamed.    
“When you earn it.” Flurdnoor sipped out of a stained red mug (which read “Irk’s Best Enforcer Captain”)

“Aw, but that one’s super old and sad looking.” Eeno watched LUCY spasm with a spark in a replaced shoulder joint.    
“LUCY is fine. But I am not fine with this!” Blar snarled.    
“You want to be completely reprogrammed?” Flurdnoor crossed his arms. “I’m sure there’s a nice position for you on Foodcourtia as a traffic officer.”    
  
Blar crossed his arms. “Then I’ll take the neophyte back with me to Serrish. I’m sure the pirate is still there. He took an emergency escape from his own ship and isn’t likely to have returned yet; it would not have finished charging by now.” 

“You have three days to be sure he’s still on Serrish.” Flurdnoor warned. “After that...you’re back on square one.”    
“I’ll be sure to not be there.” Blar bowed out. “LUCY, with me. And...you..” Blar didn’t bother to register the younger Irken’s name.   
“Eeno!” He seemed uncomfortable having to slow his speed behind Blar. “So, what kind of ship are we on? Do we get a Spittle Cruiser? Or a Zhook Cruiser?!”

“We’re Enforcers. We have Soup Cruisers. And we’re sharing one.” Blar led him out to the docking bay.    
“Well, that’s not very intimidating. Wasn’t that made when the designers spilled instant noodles on their blueprints?”    
“I wouldn’t be surprised.” Blar huffed, now practically dragging LUCY behind him when its anti-grav beams started to fail. He tossed it into the cockpit of his soup cruiser and climbed in.    
  
Eeno only had to make one springy leap. “Alright, first mission! Let’s go to Serrish!” He whooped. “Gonna catch us a pirate! Great times ahead for you and me!” Eeno bounced in his seat.    
  
“Indeed.” Blar rolled his eyes. He opened his communications screen and linked to Laksa. It took some time for him to respond. 

“Who are you calling?” Eeno craned over his shoulder. “One of our only Vortian loyalists left. He’s under my watch.” Blar dully explained.   
  
Laksa looked tired when he responded - and wasn’t even in uniform. He appeared to have been sleeping.    
“What is it now, Blar?” He groaned.   
  
“I’m returning to Serrish for the pirate. Are you back on task with your operation?” Blar asked.    
“Well, I was also getting some sleep.” Laksa frowned. Blar noticed someone else’s arm slip over his body. “Why are you telling me this now?”    
“Because the next time you see me, I’ll have my own companion.” Blar gasped as Eeno shoved him aside.   
  
“Hi, I’m Eeno! I’m new!” He waved.    
“....Hi?” Laksa blinked rapidly. “Well, you get to Serrish. I’ll be doing my own tracking soon enough. Thanks for the interruption.” He ended the call.    
“So, pirate on Serrish!” Eeno plopped back where he had been sitting.    
“Yes. That dastardly traitor is bound to be up to no good. Plotting his next move against us, preparing for his second wind!” Blar slowly built up Eeno’s horror.

  
  
  


Eeno, meanwhile, danced to the latest hit song on the radio that had been placed in his ‘cell’, his only plan to relish the distance he was gaining away from Blar. Even if it meant a brief period of time being despised by the other residents of this ship, as it hurtled toward its next destination. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting to know some crew members, and another new character, as we set off to the next stage!


	25. It Starts With a Charge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Changelog: 
> 
> Added an earlier appearance for Master Scradox and Tasorm
> 
> A brief moment of Tomkha wandering off and saying hi to a very special appearance

The Swamp of Perpetual Night was just as intimidating as the name suggested, Talay noticed. Even the brightly lit Carnival of the Scradox Family didn’t do much to liven up the murk that was covered over by a tall canopy of trees that formed a roof over their heads. 

Spots of dry ground were taken up by vendors and tents, games and small rides. The paths were joined by stone and wood bridges and lit by lamps with electric blue lights. 

Goji and Acai seeed more unsettled than him, either carried to spare their still-weak legs, or creeping behind him with anxiety.  
Holly, however, was awed by everything around her.  
  
“Ooh! Ooooh!” She pointed at the bright yellow lamps, but was unable to process the words she needed.  
“Yeah, it’s bright!” Talay encouraged her, sounding the word out.  
“Bright!” Holly hopped.  
“No. Night night.” Goji frowned, hiding her face in the back of Talay’s leg.  
  


“It’s not night time, it’s just dark because of the trees.” Talay crouched down to her level. “See, there’s light.” He pointed up to the trees surrounding them, stretching so high they covered the sky. He could see some sunbeams trickling down from the canopy.  
“Night night.” Goji insisted, flopping into his arms. He chuckled and scooped her up. “Are you just tired?” He took Acai when she rushed into his shoulder.  
  
“You too?” He hoisted her up. When he turned back around, he found Lard Nar chasing after Holly, as she had rushed far ahead of them, tottering for a glowing center in the distance . He nearly had a rush of panic seeing her so far away, until Lard Nar managed to scoop her up from behind before she could make a game of chase out of her run.  
  
“Well, where was that sense of adventure on Serrish?” Talay wondered. He felt trapped in a void between excitement and terror. This was the first time one of his children had some independent initiative, but she was running too far from him for comfort.  
  
“No!” Holly flailed a little, scrambling to get back on the ground. 

“Just wait there!” Talay called, taking long strides to reach Lard Nar. He made a note that he likely needed a sling to carry each child on his chest and back.

“Well, I suppose she has plenty of her own leg strength.” Lard Nar struggled to keep her in place when Talay rejoined him. 

Tomkha raced past them with an excited hollar. “Let’s go see some clowns!”

  
It was Spleenk who followed along behind him.  
Looking behind him, Talay saw that Momo Larloch was having to help Udon hurry after him.  
“It was easier with his father at this age.” She huffed, fixing the carrier that had Donyx inside.  
  
“You were younger then.” Momo Larloch shrugged.

  
“No, Khagai was about this difficult because I hadn’t cut my horns yet. And don't get me started on what a dust kicker Ratha was.” She rubbed her back.  
  
Then again, all the weight was on my head.” She remembered. 

Once caught up as a group, they made their way to the area Holly was desperate to reach, passing by the local crowd and tall tents containing vendors and craftsmen. 

The most-lit area came to a circle of fencing, more vendors - but most importantly, the food vendors. Holly stared out, gaping at everything around her. Goji and Acai only tried to hide their faces, whimpering and grumbling at the bright light around them, and the noise around them of music and chatter. 

At the epicenter, a tall, grayish Kaungarga with folding head frills was calling out to the visitors, informing them of the Big Top Performance later that night.   
"We'll have thrills! Danger! Fire! And best of all," He lifted a small boy, who spinning at his feet and waving vibrant purple flags.  
  
"It's my grandson Tasorm's debut performance!" The Kaungarva beamed. 

"Yeah, it's my first show!" Tasorm tossed his flags into the air, and caught them as gravity pulled them back down. "I did it, grandpa!" He beamed enthusiastically.

Talay realized from the fencing that they were in the middle of the grounds - indicated by what was on the inside of the field. Vortian animals that he thought he would never see again.

“Ooooo! Lots of big The Dib Beast!” Holly danced in place, pointing at the Feldruks.

  
“Feldruk!” Tomkha gasped excitedly and rushed for the holding pen. 

Holly tottered along beside him, while Talay collapsed into a nearby bench under Acai and Goji’s combined weight.

  
“Well, at least I know you’re getting heavier.” He breathed out. “That’s something.” He watched Udon catch up to Tomkha and Holly. At least she would be secure with her if he couldn’t be directly at her side. 

“So...would you like me to get you something to eat?” Lard Nar leaned on the back of the bench, pointing his thumb toward the food vendors on the opposite side of the fence.

  
“A Vort dog sounds great right now, actually.” Talay nodded after a moment of thought.

  
“Excellent, I’ll get that!” Lard Nar trotted in the vendor’s direction, with Schlooinktopooxis and Momo Larloch behind him.  
Spleenk remained behind to help Udon with Tomkha and Holly.   
  
Tomkha had approached another patron in line at one of the snack stands, who had a distended eye and a large head streaked with stressed veins and bandages.  
"Hi! Who are you!?" Tomkha beamed at him.   
  
Udon sighed and made her way over to collect him.  
  
  
"I am Throbulator! Creature of eternal headache!" Thobulator howled, neck cracking as he clutched his head.

"Pardon me, my ward has escaped me." Udon took Tomkha's hand. "Sorry about your headache." She lead Tomkha away.   
  
  


Lard Nar looked away from them, sure Udon and Spleenk had the prince safely corralled away from wandering off.  
  


“So why are Talay’s kids coming along on a tracking mission that could get dangerous?” Schloonktapooxis whispered over Lard Nar’s shoulder. “I mean, since we’re staking out for the Invader and all.”

  
“He’s not on the mission, he’s just taking the kids out to stretch their legs and get some air.”

  
“Why are we looking for an Invader at a circus?” Momo Larloch crossed their arms.

  
“Because there’s a big crowd and it’s an opportunity to blend in. I’m not sure why he’d choose a desolate swamp over a city, but that’s where the coordinates say he is.” 

“So, are we to spread out in separate directions and hope to spot him? What of his disguise?” Momo Larloch asked.  
“Yes. But it shouldn’t be that hard to find him. He’d be too short to look like you and...well, look at the locals, they’re...not going to be easy to replicate.” Lard Nar looked at a few of the Pibosian inhabitants, who were trilling at Roongis, who had joined them at another food vendor’s stall. 

Inside the feldruk pen, Kaungarva handlers (dressed in bright purple and white uniforms, indicating their place in the circus) were leading a few feldruks around. One of them even rode the back of a feldruk as it jumped hurdles and performed a few minor tricks. Of the feldruks that were free and grazing, a spotted individual pulled a faintly glowing bud of a plant from the ground, swallowing it whole.  
  
Holly watched eagerly from one of the lower dividers of the fence, jumping eagerly, and running back and forth in hopes of getting a better view.

The spotted feldruk lifted its head abruptly, as its eyestalks spread apart and drooped. It staggered and lowed, swinging its thick neck erratically. The handlers were slow to notice. The rider had to pull back their mount in the middle of a routine. They all only noticed in time for the feldruk to start a full gallop, bleating as it blindly rushed the fence.  
  
And leaped it. 

Talay lurched upright to place Goji and Acai in the nearby Ixane’s arms to charge ahead, but the Feldruk was already in Holly’s path before he could take a few steps toward her. 

  
  


It was too late to interfere. 

  
  


Time felt like it was slowly down and speeding ahead at once. The Feldruk barely missed Holly, just as someone stumbled out in front of it, snatching her off the ground and sliding out of the way just in time for the handlers to arrive to collect it. The rescuer shouted loudly as the beak snagged over his clothing, tearing the sleeve off at the shoulder. 

That was when Talay recognized that her rescuer was Laksa.  
He hunched over, paralyzed, his eyes wide with dread as the feldruk was wrangled by the Kaungarva handlers.  
Another Vortian ran to him, grasping his shoulders and shaking him gently to get him alert.   
Talay recognized the other Vortian as the boyfriend that called him on Serrish, as he rushed to the scene.  
  
He heard Holly on the edge of crying when he arrived in front of Laksa.  
Laksa looked up at him and rose with a slight wobble, before dropping Holly over Talay’s shoulders.

  
“I’ve told you what those things did to me! I’d advise you to keep her far away from them!” He snarled. He tried to cover over his own shoulder with his hand - then the fabric that had been torn away.  
His companion was removing his shawl and laying it over his shoulders, pulling him around from the fence just as Talay noticed the scar racing down Laksa’s skin.

It was only visible for a second - and Talay had more important things to worry about as he squeezed the distraught Holly close.  
The handlers were still struggling to lead the feldruk away - and it was attracting attention from the Pibosian locals and various visitors from across the galaxy.  
A hooded individual scuttled away from the edge of the crowd into the swamp.

Lard Nar bounded to Talay, shaking visibly with alarm.  
“Talay! Is she alright?! Are you alright!?” He grabbed him by the arms.  
“Please tone it down, she’s scared enough as it is.” Talay hissed under his breath, patting Holly on the back as she melted down into full sobs. 

Lard Nar looked behind Talay for the other two, who were frantically shouting for their father and sister.   
He noticed Laksa slinking away with a tall, strangely familiar companion.

  
“What is _ he _ doing here?” He wondered with a low growl.  
  
“Laksa? I don’t know.” Talay started to return to the bench.  
  
“Not him! His friend!” Lard Nar followed behind him. Further behind him, Momo Larloch carried the food that Lard Nar had ordered. 

Talay collapsed back into the bench and loosely took Holly from around his shoulders to seat her over his lap. Acai and Goji were turned, and huddled around Holly, hugging her tightly.

Udon and Tomkha were the next to arrive, as she drew a blanket from the bag she carried on her side and laid it over Holly.  
“Thanks.” Talay’s voice was so low he nearly rasped, focused more on cuddling Holly while she continued to cry.

An elderly kaungarva appeared from the crowd that had gathered, wearing a bright purple fitted pinstripe suit and hat. His age was indicated by the silvery gray tone to the fin over his head. He arrived with long, elegant steps and stopped in front of the Vortians without addressing the feldruk handlers.

“My deepest apologies, sir.” He extended a spindly hand to Talay.  
“We don’t typically have such problems with our feldruks, but we’re sure to get an explanation soon enough.” 

“I am Master Scradox, head of the Carnival of the Scradox Family.” He grasped Talay’s hand.

“Talay.” He shortly responded. “You can save your apologies until my daughter’s calmed down.” Talay allowed Master Scradox to shake his hand only for a moment. 

“Of course, of course.” Master Scradox folded his arms behind his back. "I understand the need to settle."   
  
He kneeled down to Acai, who had been staring up at her in awe. He flicked his fingers behind her horn stubs and suddenly produced a small green ball from the ether. She gawked silently, only able to stare as the ball was placed in her tiny hands.   
  
Scradox did the same with Goji, this time bringing out two - one orange and one purple, which he put in Talay's hand. 

Talay passed them to Udon, who placed them in the little bag she was carrying them.  
  
  
“Then, I’ll be speaking with you on compensation for trauma when you’re ready. As for the hero of the day…I’ll be having a word with him.” Master Scradox looked in search of Laksa. 

Talay scoffed. “Wouldn’t say that if you were on Serrish.” He grumbled, silently accepting the Vort dog that Momo Larloch was awkwardly offering. 

  
  


Laksa was curled in a fetal position behind a divination tent, Dolly stooped to his level, one hand on his shoulder in consolation.  
“Okay, breathe slow, don’t hyperventilate, we don’t want you fainting in the mud, okay?” Dolly was slow in his speech. “When we get back to the caravan, I can get your sleeve fixed up, and you can have a lie down, and maybe even pass out there?”  
  
He caught Laksa as he tipped forward into his chest against his own weight.  
“Ohh, we’re passing out now!” Dolly lifted him from under his arms. He patted his cheeks anxiously. 

“Well, well! If it isn’t Baron Laksa Von Feldruksheild II.” 

Dolly jumped, startled by an unfamiliar voice.  
“How do you know him!?” Dolly held Laksa closer.  
Master Scradox kneeled down. "I knew his father." He responded simply.

Dolly raised a suspicious brow. “Well, you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.” He looked at Laksa.

“Oh dear. It seems he’s fainted.” Master Scradox drew a hidden comlink from his hip.  
"Ohh, _fainted_. And here I thought he was taking a nap." Dolly quipped sarcastically, rolling his eyes.  
“I’ll be sure he gets properly resuscitated.” He helped Dolly to lay Laksa flat.  
“Oooh and now I’ll have to get stains out…” Dolly cringed as dampness immediately crept into Laksa’s shirt. “It took so long to make that...” 

He didn’t pay attention while Master Scradox called for assistance. He focused on keeping Laksa off the ground, until a pair of Pibosian medics arrived. 

“So...any idea what was up with that Feldruk?” Dolly asked.

“It’s not behavior we expected from that particular Feldruk. Especially when its grandsire came from Laksa’s father’s steed.” Master Scradox nodded at Laksa as he started to rouse under the care of the Pibosians. 

As his vision came to focus from a blur, he saw Dolly speaking with Master Scradox. And scowled.

“I don’t care what you’re offering.” Laksa slowly sat up and wobbled to his feet. “I’m done here today.” He huffed.  
  
“We’ll...have to get Voon and Kat out of the mirror maze.” Dolly helped him up.  
“Don’t worry about them.” Master Scradox waved a hand. “We’ll get you a place to rest and retrieve them for you--” He stood aside as Laksa stomped past him.  
“No. I’ll wait outside the maze. I’m not taking chances with her.” He wobbled a little as he marched in the direction of the maze. 

  
  
  


Not far away, inside the swamp, a tiny individual wrapped in a cloak crept silently through the shallow water. They grasped a low-lying branch on a tree and pulled it down. The large rock in front of the tree lifted, exposing a hatch. A second smaller branch opened it. The cloaked individual scurried down into the hall beneath the ground straight into an Irken laboratory. 

  
Invader Skutch pulled off his cloak and tossed it to his waiting SIR unit. “Make note, TONY. Operation Toxic is underway.” He jumped into a seat in front of a lab table.  
“Now it’s time for the bigger dose.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next storyline begins! 
> 
> Master Scradox kind of has a Troupe Master Grimm vibe, with a bit of a Doctor Facilier voice/performance mixed in.


	26. For Your Inconvenience

Achas Nocia was already mortified by what had transpired in the field. He hadn’t expected the spotted feldruk to turn so aggressive, after spending his entire married life knowing it to have a calm demeanor. 

His wife was fuming, cursing and hissing under her breath as she paced in the feldruk’s stall as it lay on the floor.  
  
“Achas, what are we supposed to do with this?” Dalou extended her whole hand to the feldruk. “Jumping a fence, nearly trampling a child? And now suddenly he’s keeled over and died?” She pressed a hand to her head, shaking it. “How do we even figure out what happened?” 

Achas was about to answer, when Master Scradox entered the feldruk stalls.  
“How’s the feldruk?” He asked. 

“Dropped dead after about a minute in the stall, Daddy.” Dalou crossed her arms. “Haven’t had the chance to figure out what went wrong.”  
  


“How’s the kid?” Achas spoke up.  
“She’s with her father. He’s not interested in compensation until she’s settled. It’s the same with her rescuer.” Master Scradox entered the pen with Dalou, stooping to examine the feldruk. “Strangely enough, he was Laksa Von Feldruksheild’s son.” 

“So...the _ other _ Laksa?” Dalou cocked her head in confusion, but was spoken over by her husband. 

“Great! He’ll probably know what’s going on if we can’t figure it out.”  
“Unfortunately, he fainted after getting away from the scene.” Master Scradox stood up, dusting off the pants of his suit. “He’s retrieving his children and will be retiring for the rest of the day.” Before he departed, he made a final note.  
“It’s the younger father we need to be concerned with. His poor child is bound to be traumatized.” 

  
  


Whatever trauma Holly had, it wasn’t going to surface, at least for now.  
Udon had ensured Talay and his family’s safe return to the Resisto and remained with them.   
Tomkha was brought along, as much as he protested.

Goji and Acai quickly settled into a nap, but Holly remained alert and shaking.  
  
Udon arrived in Talay’s room with a tea she had bought at the carnival, finding him in the armchair with Holly under a blanket. 

“How is she doing?” She asked.  
“Better. I just need her to sleep.” Talay accepted the tea she brought. “And she’s got The Dib Beast somewhere in this chair. She dropped it for squish.”  
Udon looked at the floor, noticing the feldruk plush on the ground.  
“Well, better than Laksa. It took him a year to even look at a picture of a feldruk after what happened to him.” Udon picked up the toy from the floor, gave it a light fluffing, and tucked it under the blanket. 

“He mentioned not liking his father’s, but I didn’t think it was that bad.” Talay pulled back the blanket a little, making sure Holly was resettled after squeezing the toy tight.  
“He had a clinical phobia his whole childhood.” Udon sighed.  
  


“So...the scar on his shoulder?” Talay looked at Holly for comparison. He felt a cold chill down his back, imagining if it had happened to her.  
“I wasn’t even there when the attack happened; I was caring for Prince Khagai at the time. Well...you can imagine how things were when I did finally get to him days later.” Udon stopped, seeing Talay visibly shudder. 

“I don’t really want to.” He cringed. 

Udon lowered into the other chair across from his. “If he’s here, he’s bound to be following us. I can’t think of a reason why he’d come here.” She changed the subject. “He’s always been a loner.”  
“I saw him with his boyfriend when he ran off.” 

Udon froze. “His what?” She asked.  
“Did you not know he had a boyfriend?”  
“I didn’t think he would again. Not after what happened to Ratha.”

“Guess I wouldn’t know what’s normal. Never saw the point in romantic relationships.” Talay shrugged, crossing one leg to support Holly better.  
He noticed Udon’s confused expression, staring at the children.  
“Look, things get boring when it’s just you and one other prisoner being moved across the planet. But I wanted kids anyway.” Talay clarified. 

“Not in prison though. But that’s how it happened.” He sighed. “You know, I had a whole baby quilt finished by hand...on the day that _ it _ happened. The Massive was underway, I was finalizing my apartment, I had a donor picked out…” He stroked Holly’s cheek; she had finally fallen asleep. “I was bringing the quilt to the research station to show it off, and the next thing I knew, a giant blob was smashing through the city. And then I was arrested with the accusation that I had helped create it.”  
  
“Did you?” Udon asked.  
  
“No, I was on with the ‘Infinite Energy Producing Thingy’, and the Massive. Then known as Bludgeon Class Fleet Leader. And nothing nearly as big as it is now.” Talay swallowed. “Though, the Massive is exactly why I don’t want to be around Master Scradox too long. I don’t even know how our Kaungarva feels about their planet being destroyed.”  
“Do you think Scradox hurt you?” Udon asked.  
“I hope not!” Talay gasped. “But now I’m kinda thinking he might! Not that he’s done anything that makes me think he could…” He wrapped Holly anxiously. “I just haven’t faced anyone that’s gone through planetary destruction yet. And...something that’s on me to some degree.” 

“Well you want to remain on the ship for the duration of the time here? Or at least until the Scradox family leaves?” Udon asked.  
“Who knows how long that will be.” Talay leaned back. “I’m not keeping the kids cooped up. Besides, it seems like Master Scradox wanted to talk about ‘compensation’ for my kid nearly getting trampled.”  
“And bitten. I thought I saw it tear off Laksa’s sleeve.” Udon remembered.  
Talay’s gut turned. “Don’t remind me. I don’t want to think about that.”

  
  


Lard Nar creeped into the room, interrupting the conversation. “I’ve spoken with Master Scradox. He said he’ll meet with you on the outskirts of the carnival. When you’re ready.” He uncomfortably cleared his throat, and then procured a paper bag and cup.  
“I got you some mini Vort dogs. And some neegh slurry.” He brought them to Talay. 

Talay perked up slightly. “Thanks.” He reached into the bag. 

Tomkha followed behind him, carrying his own little bag of Vort dogs. “He got me some too!” He bounced excitedly. “My grandma didn’t let me eat Regular Food!” He chewed on one. 

“What did you eat, then?” Talay asked as Tomkha climbed up onto Udon’s lap.  
“Uhhh Royal stuff.” Tomkha shrugged, munching down the mini Vort dogs. 

“It shouldn’t be too long for you to go and come back.” Udon cut in. “Not worth bringing the children all the way out. I can watch them while they’re sleeping.” 

Talay’s expression turned sour.  
“Yeaaah, I’m not going that far from my family.” He frowned.  
“I’ve watched them while you shower.” Udon raised a brow.  
“They’re just two doors away from me and I can hear them from the bathroom. I know what they’re doing and I know they’re safe.” Talay wrapped his arms around Holly protectively. 

“And they’ll be here, right where you can get to them.” Udon assured him. 

She reached for his hand. “I’ll keep my comlink on hand, and you can talk to me if you get uneasy.”

Talay held his hand away, just for a moment, then extended his fingers to her.  
“I’ll make it quick.” He stood up and laid Holly on the bed with her sisters, folding out the blanket over all three. “Tell me if they wake up while I’m away.” He clipped the folds of his open jumpsuit together and joined Lard Nar at the door. 

Deep in the woods, Master Scradox was overseeing Dalou and two younger troupe members digging a hole to bury the Feldruk in.  
“Grandpa, I’m tired!” The younger of the two shouted.  
“You’re nearly done, Tasorm!” Scradox shouted back from standing far aside. 

  
“But my hands hurt!” Tasorm whined.  
“He can have a break.” Dalou patted his head.  
“Can I have a break too?” The elder child asked. 

“Only if you watch out for your brother, Imdel.” Dalou sternly pointed at Tasorm, who was already scurrying off to look at some bushes in the distance. “And you better watch him close this time, I don’t want him falling in another river. Again.” 

“Fine.” Imdel rolled her slitted eyes and stomped off to accompany her brother.

Dalou watched as Imdel stood with Tasorm to look at some plants, then set her shovel down. “Right, let’s get that burial in.” She dusted her hands.  
  
  


On the outskirts of the carnival, near the docking caves, Achas at the fence line for the Vortians to arrive. He jumped up from leaning against the wood.  
“Vortians! You’re early!” He met them halfway. 

“Master Scradox isn’t quite ready to meet yet.”

“Are you his son?” Talay asked.  
“Nah, his son-in-law, I’m married to his daughter. My name’s Achas Nocia; they’re busy at the moment, so I’ll be showing you in.” 

Achas pushed aside the door flaps so they could enter. 

  
He found Laksa already inside, with his companion.  
They sat on opposite sides of the lounge, across from an empty black porter armchair.  
Lard Nar gawked at the tall Vortian. Talay thought that he was surprised, until he noticed a flare of anger. 

“It’s _ him _ .” His hands clenched. “What’s he doing with the likes of Laksa?”  
“You know him?” Talay asked.  
“You do too! That’s Lumpia!” Lard Nar hissed between clenched teeth. 

“What? No, that’s not…” Talay looked at the tall Vortian, who had now crossed one leg over the other, leaning on his arm, listening with interest.  
  
He _ did _ know that Vortian. 

Laksa slowly looked up, then away from Master Scradox entered.  
“My deepest apologies, gentlemen! I’m afraid I had some other business to attend to with the troupe, but I am here now.” He stood between the chairs.  
“Now, I’ve already met Talay; who is your companion?” He asked.  
“Captain Lard Nar, leader of the Resis--” Lard Nar nearly stood up for a grandiose introduction. Talay grasped his wrist and dragged him back down.  
“Not in front of _ him _.” Talay whispered, as Master Scradox approached Laksa.

  
“Good to see you back on your feet, Baron Von Feldrukshield, I do hope you’re well-rested.”  
“I don’t use my noble titles anymore.” Laksa limply took Master Scradox’s hand when it was offered.

“Ah? My apologies, then. I was not aware things were that severe in your family.”  
  
“You have no idea.” 

Master Scradox cleared his throat.  
“And who’s your lovely friend?” He extended a hand to Dolly.

“Master Courtier Dol Oro.” Dolly daintily laid his hand in Master Scradox’s. “I do believe we’re kindred spirits in managing entertainers. Well, at least I don’t have to work with animals.”  
“Ah, a Courtier?” Lard Nar couldn’t hear the rest of Master Scradox’s speech, as if it were garbled underwater. 

“Can we get on with it?” Talay impatiently snapped. “I have three kids to get back to!”  
Lard Nar’s attention returned as he heard him. 

“W-what about Donyx?” He asked.  
“Oh...four.” Talay didn’t notice Laksa’s discomforted raise of a brow. 

“Of course, of course!” Master Scradox delicately eased into his chair. “The matter of compensation for the...unfortunate incident with the feldruk.” He pressed his fingers together and looked at Talay. 

“Perhaps an arrangement of services on us? Perhaps a selection of vendors, some personal entertainment, fortune telling...my mother is our soothsayer. Granted, we all know a little divination, but she’s the master of it.” 

“Doesn’t help that my daughter was nearly horribly injured today.” Talay frowned. “What’s become of that Feldruk anyway? If it’s gone that feral, you’d be better off putting it out of its misery.” Laksa spoke up. 

“Nature has already taken care of that, sir. And of course, I’ll compensate for the damage done to your clothes.” Master Scradox responded.  
“It was a gift.” Laksa patted Dolly’s hand. “Now he’ll have to repair it.”  
“Ah, my apologies, all the more reason to compensate.” 

“What would you say to front-row seats under the Big Top during our show tomorrow evening?” Master Scradox offered. “I can assure you, nothing can get over the boundary, so your children will be safe should there be another...incident.”  
  
Laksa stood up slowly, grasping the arm of his seat for balance. “Are you anticipating it happening again?” He asked.  
  


“Of course not. What happened earlier was merely a fluke. A disastrous fluke, of course, but one that is unlikely to happen again. We’re keeping the rest of the herd under close observation. Unless you know anything?” Scradox asked.

“I only learned to ride Feldruks at the most basic level.” Laksa shook his head. “I have nothing to offer you for advice.” 

“In that case, we’ll ensure there aren’t any problems before the show tomorrow evening.” Master Scradox pulled some leaflets from his inner pocket.

“Best of luck.” Laksa accepted the one for him.  
“What are you planning with this?” Dolly whispered when Master Scradox’s back was turned.  
“I’ll...probably just let Voon get a reading and take those front seats.” Laksa responded. 

“Once again, my sincerest apologies for this unfortunate incident.” Master Scradox pressed his gangly fingers together. “I’m sure you all have business to return to.” He looked at Achias to open the tent flap. 

“Thanks for this.” Talay looked at his voucher. “I guess I’d be able to get something for the kids…”  
Lard Nar leaned over to look at it.  
  
It was green. The words ‘Compensation for Near Accident’ scribed in gold across it, with a stamp of Master Scradox’s winking face to the side. Followed underneath was a list of activities that were now free of charge.  
“Well, this saves a lot of monies…” Lard Nar rubbed his chin as they departed. 

  
  


He looked up as Laksa and Dolly passed them - Dolly practically cast a shadow over him even in the dark.  
“Hey! Lumpia! What’s the big deal!?” He shouted, sprinting to catch up.  
  
“I’m _ sorry _ ?” Dolly stalled. He turned in one swift move of a foot to Lard Nar.  
“Yeah! What are you doing here and all…” Lard Nar gestured to all of Dolly. “And being involved with him!?” He pointed at Laksa, who had started to nervously back away. 

“Well, I’m not going to get into that. And Dol Oro is my name now, so you can stop calling me…” He grimaced and cringed. “_ Lumpia _.” He forced the name out. 

  
“How did...how did that happen?” Lard Nar squeaked. “I’m not sure what you’ve got going on, but…” He looked at Talay desperately. “Come on, you’ve got to know what’s going on here!” 

“Sorry, not my league.” Talay was already trying to creep away. 

“And _ Courtier _!?” Lard Nar sputtered. “You abandoned everything to be a shiney pet for Irkens--” Lard Nar stopped as Dolly turned away from him. “Hey, don’t ignore me!” He fumed. 

  
  


“Well, while your friend is busy accosting my lover, why don’t you take that free pass to the Divinator?” Laksa pointed the silvery tent up the path behind them.  
“Why, so you can take an opportunity to break into our ship and kidnap the prince?” Talay frowned. 

“I’m not here for him. I didn’t even know you’d be here.” Laksa shook his head. “Not that I’d apprehend him in the way you’re thinking of. What would his father think of me?” 

“What would Prince Khagai think of any of this?” Talay grumbled.  
“Technically, he was Acting King until Voon was old enough to take the throne, but…” Laksa crossed his arms. “We’re living through that catastrophe.” 

“So...You have a fourth child?” Laksa asked, changing the subject.   
“Sort of. In a way...things are weird.” Talay shuffled away uncomfortably.  
“Is it the green one?” Laksa pressed.  
“...Yeah.” Talay nodded. “He’s...half Irken.”  
“Oh!” Laksa’s expression changed dramatically. “How...how did that happen? Irkens can’t--” He started.

_ The inclined table. _ _  
_ _ The drill boring into his horn. _ _  
_ _ The noise. The blood running down his face. _ _  
_ _  
_ _ The glowing tube. _

  
“I’m not going into that with you.” Talay pointed aggressively. 

Laksa lifted his hands in defeat. “Fine.” 

“You know, this is the second time I’ve had to rescue your family.” He leaned against the fence. 

“Yeah, and then you stood by when we could all have been threatened by toxic fumes until it inconvenienced you.” Talay took several steps ahead of him.

“Regrettably, it was something I had little choice about.” Laksa frowned.  
“Lard Nar said something about Prince Ratha?” Talay pressed, not accepting the answer.  
Laksa stiffened and went quiet. “I had little choice about going to the cliffs as well.” He grumbled. “None of us want to be here, I assure you.” 

  
  


Talay saw that nothing had changed between Lard Nar and Dolly ahead of them.  
He wordlessly stepped away to the divinator.  
“I guess one visit while my hands are empty. Not that I actually believe what the divinator will say.” He grumbled. 

“Suit yourself, I’m going to watch your friend waste his energy.” Laksa leaned against the fence post.  
  
  


When Talay entered the tent, he found a Kaungarva even older than Master Scradox within. She was tiny and hunched, and the fin between her horns was a dull white. She wore a purple gown with multiple flowing layers, separating her from the rest of the troupe, who all wore suits that were simpler in extravagance than Master Scradoxes. The whole tent was filled with a fog - which Talay realized was coming from multiple fog machines concealed as a vases.  
  
The old woman rose from a square table that was covered with a silver cloth. 

“Welcome, welcome. I am Uloina Scradox, divinator and soothsayer, reader of fate and future, messenger of your glory...or your doom.” Her eyes graying narrowed forebodingly.

“Hi.” Talay waved awkwardly. 

“I understand my son has sent you to me.” Uloina extended her hand to a chair on the opposite side of the table she was sitting on.   
“Perhaps a full round of divination for you?” She took her seat once Talay was settled. "See your future in cards, read your soul in your palm.   
  
“Can I take it in blocks? I’ve got some kids to get back to.” Talay laid his hand on the table. 

“Of course, of course, I understand.” Uliona lifted his hand into her palm and traced it. “I know how it is to be away for too long.”  
She circled around one spot of his hand as he trembled. 

“Why the nerves, dear Vortian?” The divinator took Talay’s hand as it shook.  
“I’m not sure I should get into that…” Talay swallowed as she looked over his hand. “Too much has happened.”

_ ‘I’m the engineer responsible for your planet’s destruction.’ _Talay thought.

  
  


“You have a worker’s hands.” She remarked. “Rough. Dry. A few blister scars. No point in moisturizer, then?”

Talay felt a chill down his back. “I’m an engineer.” He cleared his throat.

“Well, if you escaped from Vort, that would not be a surprise.”

“What makes you think I escaped?” Talay raised a brow.

“You’re here aren’t you?” Uloina was blunt.

“I did escape. But not from Vort. So...what’s your interpretation of the natural lines in my hand and have nothing to do with my soul?” He asked. 

“I see your hands for who you are. You are a hard worker whose hours of labor go without gratitude.”

  
“Yeah, I already knew that about myself, thanks.” Talay frowned, thinking of the Almighty Tallest. And Zim.

  
“But what of the future that comes from it?” Uliona asked. 

“And that is?” Talay cringed back as she her finger over the cap over Talay’s horn.   
  
“Your scars extend beyond your hands. Be sure to look out for cracks so they don't get worse.” She warned. **  
**

“Is that general medical advice or a warning?” Talay uncomfortably asked.

“That depends on what happens next.” The divinator cryptically responded. 

Talay clicked his tongue.   
“Well...I’ve got tiny Vortians to get back to before I start getting a little voice in my head telling me they’ve been kidnapped again. I’ve been gone long enough.” He stood up and trudged for the flap.

What kind of divination was that???

  
  
  


Imdel had stopped paying attention to Tasorm. She turned her back to examine a flowering bush with deep purple blooms.  
She took some clippings and put them in a little journal filled with flowers, pulled from her satchel.  
  
When she turned around, Tasorm was not dancing around the tree where she last saw him.  
“Tasorm!” She called. “Where you at?” She approached the tree. Maybe he climbed it and planned to jump on her. She craned her head up. There were no low branches. And even with his flexibility, there wasn’t any way for Tasorm to get high enough to the branches in the amount of time he was gone.  
  


As she searched, Tasorm in the depths of the woods out of her visual range, picking up rocks on the side of a trickling creek. “This has gotta be a bone!” He exclaimed, picking up an oblong rock that was not even remotely a fossilized bone.  
“And this one too!” He picked up another. “And this one!”  
  
Tasorm was so invested in stuffing his pockets, he did not notice something creeping behind him, until he was grabbed by the wrists. He bellowed loudly in defense.  
“IMDEL!” He howled. 

“Quiet! You’re too close to my base, you little brat. Looks like you’re going to have to come down with me.” Someone hissed behind him.  
  
Tasorm struggled to squirm away. “My grandpa will hear about this!” He shouted as high as he could in hopes that Imdel could hear him.  
There was a mechanized buzzing as a nearby stone lifted, revealing a hall with a faint red glow.  
“And what’s he going to do about it?” The assailant didn’t notice Tasorm drop his little rock bag as he was hauled into the hall.  
“There aren’t that many of your kind left. You’ll make an interesting research specimen while this planet dies.” 

  
  
  


Imdel found the creek where she heard her brother calling from. She picked up his little green bag that was full of the plain rocks he called ‘bones’.  
But Tasorm was nowhere to be found.

And she was in deep trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Free rides, brothers found, trouble brewing.
> 
> Totally not stuff I made up on the spot just to get an update going.


	27. The Stampede

That was one mess down.  
Now Dalou just had to wait for her children to return from the woods, where she had expected them to remain close. What she didn’t expect was for Imdel to return to the feldruk burial alone, looking like she had seen a ghost.  
“Imdel? Where’s your brother?” Dalou slowly laid down her shovel.  
Imdel shrank and held out his rock bag. “I found this.” She croaked, looking away.

“This is his bone bag!” Dalou gasped, taking the bag.  
“You know they’re not--”  
“Imdel, don’t focus on that! Where’s your brother!?”  
  


Imdel backed away, nearly into a wall. “I don’t know! That’s why I came to get help!”  
“So your little brother’s out in the woods alone?” Dalou could only watch as Imdel nodded uncomfortably.  
“Come on.” She grasped Imdel by the wrist. “We need to get your daddy and grandpa.”

Moments after they were gone from the burial mound, a soft beating glow began to emanate from it, a cloud began to ebb out through the dirt.  
After a moment of stillness, the buds erupted, scattering little specks into the air, which dispersed across the area and settled into the plants and water.  
The mound of dirt collapsed, as if nothing had been buried under it.  
  
Across the woods, several specks settled in the grass, just as a herd of large, lumbering beasts stopped in the field, shoving their thick proboscises into the water. The specks followed the water up and through as the herd wandered and grazed. 

  
  


Then, one stopped. It started to rumble and lose its balance.  
Then another.  
Then another.  
Before the whole herd seemed to lose control of its own functionality, and they all bolted in different directions, without any semblance of a choice for where they were going. 

  
  


Lard Nar wasn’t done confronting his brother.  
Talay’s patience was starting to wither as he watched. This had gone on long enough for him to visit the divinator and get himself a bag of Vort dogs.  
He’d eaten a good third of the bag, and Lard Nar still wasn’t done ranting.  
Dolly towered over him, arms crossed with annoyance as Lard Nar paced around.  
“Are you done yelling at me yet?” He asked.  
“No! Because you’re working with the Irkens! And you’re with _ him _ of all people!?” He pointed at Laksa, who became alert when attention was drawn to him.  
“What?” He stuttered.  
“That absolute traitor? What would our mothers think!?” Lard Nar snapped.  
  
Dolly turned away from him.  
“Nope! I’m not doing this. Goodbye.” He approached Laksa and grabbed his hand.  
“Let’s get the girls from the funhouse before Voon runs into mirrors again.”

Laksa followed behind in a bit of bewilderment. “You’re just going to leave it at that?” He struggled to keep up with Dolly’s long strides.  
“Oh, I am.” Dolly groused. 

Laksa held tight, pulling him slightly until he was able to catch up.  
  
Talay crept to Lard Nar’s side as he fumed.

“So uh...did you know your brother was alive, or…” Talay slowly broke the silence.  
“I knew he was alive, I just didn’t know he was that _ different _ !” Lard Nar burst, struggled to keep himself from shouting.  
“I knew he quit everything our mothers planned for him to work with the Irkens, but I never found out what he was doing!” 

“Being a Courtier, apparently.” Talay shrugged.  
“For IRKENS!” Lard Nar’s voice cracked as he shouted.. 

“I wouldn’t have a problem with the new name -- or even the new look --” Lard Nar started.

“_ Oh boy _ , does he have a new look.” Talay laughed. “Good for him, figuring things out.” He ran a hand over one of his horns.  
“--But the fact that he needed to work with Irkens to figure all of this out!?” Lard Nar slumped back.

“Oh yeah! And he’s with Laksa!” Talay remembered.  
“God, what a weird match.” Lard Nar grumbled, pulling off his goggles to rub his eyes. “I watched the man melt down on Serrish and then get into a fight with the Irken that dragged him there. Laksa didn’t even look like he wanted to be on the cliffs!” 

Lard Nar scratched his chin. “Where is that guy, anyway? Our new ‘friend’ Lork seems to know him.”  
Talay shrugged. “Probably still on Serrish.”  
“And I think Lork is still in his room? Someone should probably check on him. Even I got regular checks in prison.” Talay looked nervously toward the ship. “I don’t like the idea of having my kids so close to _ any _ Irken.”  
“Turgh’s on watch with him.” Lard Nar explained. “Guess we’ll talk with him later.” He pondered. “Maybe he’ll also be able to help us find the Invader. See if that’ll prove his mettle.” 

“Who knows how long that’s going to take…” Lard Nar groaned.  
  
“Anyway...this little venture has taken longer than I would have liked, and I want to get back to my kids.” Talay pointed to where the ship was docked in the distance.  
“And you need to be finding that Invader before something happens!” Talay reminded him. “From what I’ve seen your friends so far, they’ve probably forgotten what they’re doing!” 

  
Lard Nar sank at the shoulders. “Ohhh, and your friends from prison are probably running amok.” He realized.  
“Hey, they’re allowed to have fun!” Talay was stepping backwards to return to the ship. “There wasn’t anything to do on Serrish!” 

“Well…” Lard Nar puffed. “I suppose I’ll have to go and catch up with them.” He waved Talay to move along. “You go be with your kids.” He started back to the entrance. “They’re probably going to be up by now.”  
“I hope not…” Talay hugged his own arms. He imagined his absence would be confusing, after their reconnection over the last few weeks.

“Well! See you later.” He turned with a wave.  
Lard Nar silently waved back, and started up the path back into the carnival.

  
  


The western side of the carnival was peppered with various members of the Resisty.  
The former prisoners of Moo-Ping 10 took turns arm wrestling with the carnival’s strongman - Shorgo Verg. They cheered on G’raggo, who had spent several minutes longer than all the rest on the competition.  
Another Kaungarva leaned in close, watching their clenched fists while holding a timer.  
With a triumphant shout, Shorgo Verg managed to slam down G’raggo’s arm onto the table. 

For a brief moment, the former prisoners fell back with disappointed moans, until the referee threw an arm in the arm.  
“G’raggo the Fondulent breaks the record for the longest time against Shorgo Verg!” He proclaimed. “His record is twelve minutes, beating Norgol the Ripped’s record of ten minutes!”  
  


The former prisoners’ attitudes quickly swerved back into cheers, as G’raggo rose from his seat to shake hands with Shorgo Verg, and clapped a hand on his shoulder. 

As he departed to get snacks, with the reward of an enormous stuffed animal under his arm, he wiped a tear from his eye.  
“That was the best arm wrestling match of my life.” He sniffed. “It’ll never be beat.” 

A few meters away, Roongis stood atop a stack of wooden crates, chattering and warbling at dozens of others of his kind, raising them into even louder, motivated squeals.  
“Hey, looks like Roongis is rallying some forces!” Spleenk pointed.  
“The Captain’s gonna love this!” Schloonktapooxis beamed.   
“Ooh, look! Sword fighters!” Spleenk exclaimed, breaking him from his focus, pointing to a smaller fenced area, where Achas Nocia was in what appeared to be serious combat with another troupe member (in actuality, it was a dramatic performance). 

Ixane focused past Achas Nocia, noticing Master Scradox pulling Momo Larloch from the former prisoners with a look of urgency. Rather than join the others at the snacks, she went down the opposite path.  
“I’m going to get the Captain.” She informed them.  
“Okay, have fun!” Spleenk waved to her. 

  
  


Her first guess thought was to trek back to the ship - at the very least, Talay would have returned by now.  
The next thing she saw was Momo Larloch following Roongis into the swamp, accompanied by several Pibosians. Something didn’t seem right from the way the ringleader was speaking with a younger female. 

The Captain needed to know that something was up.  
She had a feeling the Invader was closer than they anticipated.  
She pushed away from the crowd as it gathered to see what Achas Nocia was calling attention to.

From the opposite end, Laksa and Dolly lead Voon and Kat (disguised as a small Vortian) away from the funhouse.  
“Well, count yourself glad all the mirrors were distorted!” Dolly stopped to buff some smudged makeup on Voon’s forehead. “Otherwise, you would have run into them like in the mirror maze.”  
Voon groaned. “Yeah, but then Kat bumped me into one when she saw a clown.”  
“I didn’t know they were real!” Kat wailed.  
  
Dolly paused. Laksa looked down at her in bewilderment.  
“Of...of course they’re real.” Dolly stuttered. “Real performers, anyway.”  
“What did you think they were?” Laksa asked.  
“I dunno, something from stories like the Great Berman.” Kat slumped her shoulders. “Now I’ll never sleep for fun again.” She whined.  
  
“That makes two of us.” Laksa noticed the commotion. “Ah, look. They’re fencing.” He pointed.  
“Kat, you’re here to learn about different performances, let’s go see them.” Dolly crouched down low as near as he could to Kat’s level.  
“Are they clowns?” Kat stood on her toes nervously.  
“No, just regular Kaungarva. I think one of them is the master’s son-in-law.” Laksa was already heading over, leading Voon by the arm. “I for one could use a refresher on showman’s swordplay.”  
  
“But you do it all the time! I saw you swording in the Massive’s arena!” Kat rushed after him.  
“That was an actual fight. We didn’t have rubber tips at the end of our swords--Dol Oro!” Laksa was interrupted as Dolly erupted into laughter.  
“Oh darling, mind your phrasing!” Dolly wiped his eyes delicately as he wheezed.  
  
“I don’t get it…” Kat mumbled.  
“Anyway.” Laksa looked away from Dolly with a blush. “That was a fight where being harmed was a known risk, and this is simply for show.”  
  
They reached the edge of the barrier, where Achas Nocia was engaged in ‘combat’ with another Kaungarva.  
“You can see it in the way they step and move. It’s more of a dance with blades involved.” Laksa pointed to their feet. 

He blinked. “They’re not even real blades, they’re pointed rods!” He realized. 

“Isn’t that just what a sword is?” Voon asked.  
“No...no it isn’t.” Laksa patted her shoulder. “But now I recognize this as a Kaungarva style of artistic swordery. It’s been a very long time. They’d be the last to pass it down.” Laksa rubbed his chin.  
“Why’s that?” Voon asked quietly.  
“Their planet doesn’t exist anymore.” Dolly sighed. “The leadership declared war on the Irken Empire and the Irken Empire tested out their shiny new ship on them.”  
  
He squinted across the field. “I’m surprised my brother’s even showing his face. I know he worked on that ship.”  
“Ah...that would explain why he attacked it.” Laksa remembered the recording he had been shown. .  
“He _ what _?!” Dolly gasped.

But before he could finish, Achas’ sparring partner stepped outside of a rope that encircled them.  
“Did he lose?” Voon asked.  
“That he did.” Laksa remarked. 

The rebels on the other side of the crowd were part of the excitement in the fight’s end.

“Wow, that guy sure did step over a rope!” Schloonktapooxis remarked sarcastically, confused by the point of the match.  
“And he looked cool doing it!” Spleenk applauded with all four of his arms.

  
“How’d you enjoy that small preview of the big show!?” Achas waved an arm in the air. “We’ve got lots of surprises at the main event, so we’re totally not giving away little tastes to distract you! There’s absolutely no family emergencies to concern yourself with, so who wants a try against me?!” Achas laughed nervously as he held a prop sword above his head.  
  
  
A few of the onlookers backed off nervously. One tall, burly alien wiggled his shoulders in anticipation - until...

"I'll take you on." Laksa raised his hand with a shout. “I too am a swordsman.”

Achas looked down at Laksa as he entered. 

“Laksa, what are you --” Dolly gasped, unable to stop him from going over.

"Well, uh..." Achas faltered. He wasn't expecting someone half his size. 

"Alright then."  
  
The former competitor tossed his prop sword to Achas, who passed it to Laksa.  
“You know the rules of the game?” Achas asked.  
“Yes I do.” Laksa nodded. “Always look at your competitor in the face, hitting anything but the blade is a fowl, stepping out of the ring is a loss to the fight, wins are best off time rather than points.”

Achas grinned. “Then we’ll have a fantastic battle!” He shouted to the onlookers. 

“Ohh...” Dolly sighed. “He’s just fainted, he shouldn’t be doing all this fancy footwork.” He grumbled.  
  
Spleenk and Schloonktapooxis looked between each other and Laksa back and forth.  
“Um...did we know he could--” Spleenk started. And then…  
  
Laksa was fast on his feet. He was focused and balanced. He could bound around Achas when it seemed he was being pushed too close to the edge, able to push him back without turning his back or forcing Achas to turn his.  
  
“Ohhh, he’s good!” A grub-like onlooker gasped.  
“Is he?” Spleenk squeaked.  
“Oh, he’s very good! But look! He’s very good, but he has a limp on his right side!” The grub pointed. 

Laksa’s right leg seized up periodically when he had mere seconds to rest; he spent more time leading and pushing off with his left side than his right. 

“He must have had an injury in the past! But he’s still very good.” 

“We should tell the captain…” Schloonktapooxis whispered.  
“I don’t think any of us can take him.” Spleenk agreed.  
  


Achas was surprised by how much trouble the Vortian gave him. Of course he had lost against other challengers from an audience in the past - but nearly all of them were equal to his size - and didn’t have multiple obvious weak spots.  
The left shoulder was obvious - a bite mark from an animal during childhood.

But something on the rights side of his hips was making him falter, even as he was able to work past it to carry on his combat.

It had to have been something deep and terrible. How could he possibly be able to...he felt something under his foot.  
  
The rope!

He gasped. He was so distracted that he had not noticed he was one foot over the rope - and the other was on top of it. 

“Well! Our lucky winner!” Achas snapped himself from stunned silence. “Give it up for our fleet gentleman!” He invited cheers. 

“For your victory uh...have a large meat on our behalf.” Achas pointed to a vendor selling meat with a resemblance to enormous turkey legs. Spleenk and Schloonktapooxis shoved their way out of the crowd as quickly as they could.  
  


“OH he’s going to use his sword powers to get the Prince!” Schloonktapooxis wailed.  
“We gotta tell the captain he’s too powerful!” Spleenk stopped to collect his comlink. “Wait! Wait! I remembered! THIS!” He turned a dial to the number seven. 

  
  
  


Talay was reclined on his bed with the triplets, now finally able to settle down after the incident with the Feldruk.  
His comlink started to beep erratically just as soon as they had gotten resettled into sleep. 

They were awoken by the noise.  
“Daddy, make it stop!” Goji whined. 

With an annoyed huff, Talay grabbed the comlink and popped off the bed into the bathroom.  
“What is it?” He hissed.  
“Is the captain with you?” Spleenk asked.  
“Whu--what, just call him!” Talay sputtered. “I just got the kids comfortable!” 

“Oh! That’s a great idea!” Spleenk’s tone lifted. “Because you gotta know that Laksa is crazy good at using a sword.”  
“I’m...not surprised.” Talay pinched between his eyes. “Not sure why you need to say something about it right away.”  
“Because he might use it.” He heard Schloonktapooxis chime in. 

Talay groaned. “Fine! Just call Lard Nar! You people need to stop pulling me away from my kids.” He clicked the comlink off and trudged back to the children, who were all sitting up in wait for him. 

  
  


Ixane had already found Lard Nar, and were on their way to Achas Nochia.  
Lard Nar was going to accept Ixane’s concerns that something had gone wrong - needing to know why one of his own rebels had gone into the woods without being informed. 

He was stopped by the beep of his comlink.  
“This is your Captain.” He answered.  
“Sir! We saw Laksa fight with swords!” Spleenk shouted into the comlink.  
  


Lard Nar remembered how he had stopped him from throwing a punch. If he could be engaged in fisticuffs, then...

“He did? Was he good?” Lard Nar asked.  
“Well, he won against the sword performer, so…” Spleenk dragged.  
  
Lard Nar looked over his shoulder. He noticed Spleenk and Lard Nar were only a few yards from him, facing away.   
“Get over here!” He barked.  
They turned and yelped in surprise. “Oh you were here the whole time!” Schloonktapooxis grinned.  
“Where are you going?” He added.  
  
“To see Master Scradox. Momo Larloch and Roongis have gone into the swamp and I need to find out why.” Before Lard Nar could take another step, something rumbled under their feet. It was coming from the swamp.

  
  


The Pibosians were scattered through the swamp, tapping on large stones, smelling the air with proboscises that snaked out from a pit in their faces.   
Roongis whistled with a pair investigating with him. Momo Larloch cocked their head, listening to the conversation.  
"What do you mean 'these rocks weren't hear before'?" They asked.   
One of the Pibosians warbled and thumped the rocks, pointing to the river, where Dalou and Imdel were following the shoreline.

“And you’re sure this is the last place you saw your brother?” Dalou asked feverishly.  
“Yeah! I only looked away for a second, I swear!” Imdel pouted, crossing her arms. 

“And he can’t swim, so he couldn’t have crossed the river and --” Imdel stopped. And stopped backwards. “Is the ground shaking?”  
  
Every member of the search party paused and looked ahead.  
Suddenly, a massive animal erupted from the woods, braying and barreling forward with little sense of control. It splashed across the river, soaking Momo Larloch’s red robes and continued its path for the carnival.

“That...was like the Feldruk.” Dalou stammered. The rubbing did not stop. It grew. As a whole herd of the beasts trampled out. All of them were unbalanced. And loud. Colliding with one another. Those that fell were unable to stand again, bucking and trumpeting on the ground until it completely collapsed. Each side of the search party parted, to ensure no one would be hit. 

  
  


The carnival ahead, however…

  
  


Lard Nar could only freeze and evoke a shrill shriek when something plowed through a tent directly in front of him. A few feet closer and it would have trampled him and the others.  
He huddled with the others, panicking just as much as he was, as even more of the bulky monstrosities came through the trees. 

They crashed through more tents, vendor stands, the snack carts, nearly missing patrons and staff alike.  
“My kyabbajes!” One elderly vendor cried out in anguish as his cart of green vegetation was destroyed. 

The large-headed patron was knocked flat to his back, knocking his enormous mass hard on the path.

At first, he yelped as he impacted. Then, he laid still for a moment. He blinked as he slowly sat up.  
  


"My headache! It's gone!" he steadily eased into a cackle, before a fleeing feldruk hurtled over him, kicking him in the head and sending him reeling back.

He laid prone, groaning. "And it's back."

Fences containing the circus’ animals were mowed down. Most stayed within the confines, dodging around in a panic to avoid the native creatures.   
  
One feldruk escaped the fence and galloped off. 

  
  
  


Laksa was enjoying the reward for his victory - one of the more expensive and lavish meats, which he made sure to share with the others. There was no doubt he’d be able to finish it on his own.  
He stopped in the middle of eating one of the slices that had been divided for himself, noticing the lone feldruk galloping away.  
  
“Oh no, not again.” Dolly groaned.  
“No no, that one looked normal…” Laksa stared down where it had gone. “See, it’s trying to avoid running into smaller creatures.” He pointed at it deliberately evading confused and terrified patrons.  
“But something scared it…”  
  
Voon got off the bench they were sitting on and took a few steps from the path the Feldruk had come from.  
“Uh, maybe that?!” She jumped and ran to Laksa, just as six of the creatures came into vision.  
Dolly gasped and plucked Kat off from where she was sitting - so small that Dolly could carry her like a baby - and started to bolt. 

“Yes, THAT would do it!” Laksa pulled in Voon, grabbed Dolly by the arm, and huddled the group together. “This is more like the Feldruk from earlier and…” He paused. And groaned.  
“There’s an Invader here, isn’t there?” He realized. He watched each of the beasts suddenly stop in their tracks and collapse. One came so close it nearly did trample them, until it too fell. 

It was the same all across the carnival. As soon as the creatures had appeared and left chaos in their wake, they came to a stop.  
“Oh, that was bizarre.” Dolly swallowed.  
Voon dropped her face into Laksa’s shoulder and uttered a short, whimpering sob.   
  
  
  


Talay was completely unaware of what had happened, reading out loud to his dozing children.  
“‘Hooray, hooray! We’ve caught the bad wizard!’” He read in a squeaky voice. He pointed at the illustrations, featuring Vortian children celebrating the netted capture of a curly-horned Vortian in bright clothes.  
“‘Oh no! The bad wizard got awaaay!’” He dropped to a lower voice - the same tone he used while compiling with Zim’s demands for remote control of the Massive.  
“Oh no!” Acai gasped. 

  
  


“Oh no…” Lard Nar whispered, looking upon the disaster that was left behind. Across the field, the beasts were stopping in their tracks.  
Collapsing. 

“This can’t be normal.” Ixane rubbed dust from her robes.  
“It looks like what happened with that Feldruk that attacked Holly.” Lard Nar remembered. 

“That’s my assumption.”  
Lard Nar turned around, finding Master Scradox approaching.  
“Hey! I was looking for you! What’s the deal with sending my crew members out to the woods?” Lard Nar approached him.  
“My apologies. I needed their help. Especially from another of our kind.” Master Scradox pressed his hands together.  
“Help with what?” Lard Nar asked.  
“My grandson has gone missing.” Master Scradox replied quietly.  
  
“But that guy said there weren’t any family emergencies--ohhhh!” Schloonktapooxis realized. “That was a distraction!”  
“It happened while we were…” Scradox cleared his throat. “Burying the feldruk.”  
“It DIED?” Lard Nar gasped.  
  
“Unfortunately. We couldn’t figure out why.” Master Scradox put his arms behind his back. “And now with that stampede, my concerns for my grandson’s safety are even greater.”  
  
Lard Nar noticed Momo Larloch stumbling in from the trees.  
They paused to catch their breath before spotting Lard Nar.  
“Sir.” They waved. “Did anyone survive the stampede?” They joined the others.  
“Not the animals that came through.” Lard Nar pointed.  
  
“Strange.” Momo Larloch raised a brow. “Roongis said the Shuuhi don’t do this.”  
Ixane looked at the smallest animal that had fallen. It was starting to glow. Brighter and brighter, until little particles cast off from it. When the glowing cloud dispersed, it was completely gone.  
  
“I’m guessing that’s not normal to the Shuuhi either.” She pointed.  
“That. Was scary.” Lard Nar grabbed Momo Larloch’s gown anxiously.  
“What are those?” Spleenk squeaked.  
  
Master Scradox found a glass lantern that had been knocked over by the stampede - one that hadn’t broken in the fall among others.  
He opened the lid, shaking out the glowing light inside, and scooped several of the glowing orbs into it.  
“I would suggest an investigation of your own.” He closed the jar and handed it to Lard Nar. “Do you have anything to do that with?” He asked.  
“We don’t have much of a medbay, but it does have some microscopes that hopefully work…” Lard Nar looked around.  
  
“This is a bit of a mess, shouldn’t we -- “ He was stopped by Scradox lifting a hand.  
“We’ll deal with this.” He said. “Don’t think I don’t know who you are.”  
Lard Nar paused. Did he know about his role in the Massive?  
“Uh...wh-what do you mean?” He asked.  
“I know you’re the rebellion that attacked the Massive. Irkens talk. And their victims hear. And then they talk. And since we travel the galaxy...we hear. And I understood Roongis’ rally.”  
  
  
“Then why didn’t you say something before?” Ixane asked.  
“Roongis had a rally?” Lard Nar looked to the woods where Roongis was still among the others of his kind.  
“I thought you were taking a respite, and left you to it. But now my grandson is missing. And this has happened at the same time. Which can only mean one thing.” He leaned down.  
“You’re here to find an Invader.” He whispered.  
“We were trying to keep it quiet.” Lard Nar nodded. “Didn’t want anything to alert him. His name’s Skutch.”

Master Scradox. “Then this is his doing. Find out what these are and perhaps we’ll be able to trace him. 

“I’ll...have to tell Talay that you know.” Lard Nar looked at the jar.  
“Please do.” Master Scradox watched Achas Nocia running toward him.  
“I’ll deal with everything out here.”  
  
  


Deep underground, Skutch watched the chaos from a screen, snickering fiendishly. “Yes! Yes, my fiendish plan is underway!” He drummed his fingers together  
“Why are you being mean!?” Tasorm shouted from the metal barred cell he was being held in.  
“Haven’t you heard of the Irken Empre?” spun his seat.  
  
Tasorm shank back. “Mama said you blew up our planet.” He squeaked.  
“Yes! Yes we did! And I’m taking over this planet in the name of the Empire too!” He grinned.  
“Why?” Tasorm asked.  
“Because we’re the best!” Skutch flung his arms outward.  
  
“Nuh uh. You’re mean.” Tasorm frowned.  
“Silence, brat!” Skutch snarled. He pointed at a large cylinder filled with the glowing orbs. “I haven’t tested them on sapient life yet.” He rubbed his chin.  
“It’s not quite time yet, but if the plan doesn’t work on wildlife like I thought it would…”  
  
Tasorm stared at the cylinder and whimpered, covering his large eyes in his hands, the tiny peaks of fins on his head folding down flat, as he huddled into a corner in hopes of somewhere to hide. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, Laksa can use a sword! Lard Nar brother issues! Kyabbaj disaster! More glowy things!


	28. Plain Sight

Of course it was an Invader.   
Of course an Invader had to be here, of all places.   
Of course it had to leave the stench of its rotten race in another talley of destruction. 

Master Scradox had helped in the destruction where he could. He’d found terrified patrons and sent them toward the big tent - one of the few structures still standing. It was far too big to have been knocked over. He helped bring some stands back upright when they were too heavy to have broken. 

He found Dalou, Achas, and Imdel frantically working together to keep feldruks from eating glowing buds off the ground, luring them away with their favorite treats into the travel stalls. Dalou had her sleeve pulled to expose one of the tricks of their performances - a little metal tube that expelled pellets that burst into flame on impact with an object.   
  
She was firing them at the ground to eliminate the buds - which quickly erupted into smoke.  
  
He knew the look on Dalou’s face. The fold of her head frill, the tenseness of her eyes, biting her lower lip.

  
She was ready to burst with outrage. 

Dalou closed one gray feldruk in its stable, giving it the purple root vegetable it was following. She leaned into the door, covering her eyes.  
  
“Dalou.” Master Scradox approached her, reaching for her shoulders.  
  


“Of all the planets, it had to be here.” He heard her voice gravel. She slammed a fist against the smooth stained wood behind her. “Those monsters had to follow us.” She began to slump at the knees. “We can’t run, we can’t leave without Tasorm. Whatever is happening, we’re never going to find him and--” She sank low to the floor. 

Master Scradox stooped low and cupped her chin under his thumb.   
“We have help this time. We’re not going to lose him like we lost your mother.” He held her to his shoulder when she fell into him. “And this planet is not going to be failed like ours.” 

  
  


  
It had been a very long time since Talay had cooked for himself. Even in the Vort prison, his abilities were severely limited, and cut off completely in Moo-Ping 10. Still unaware of the chaos that amassed on the carnival grounds, he busied himself with a rice-like porridge on the stove.   
  
Tomkha was playing with the children on the floor, while Udon tested Donyx’s sense of grip and flexibility at the table. As Talay served up the porridge into little bowls with a red syrupy swirl on the top of each, his old prison mates shuffled into the kitchen.   
“You got any more of that?” G’raggo groaned, setting down the large toy he had won in front of Talay’s children. They gawked at it, not knowing the words for their amazement. 

“I can make more, but I thought you’d be all filled up on carnival food.” Talay passed each child a bowl and spoon - each of them brightly colored and retrieved from the markets on the Satellite of Huug. 

“Well we could be, but some animals from the woods stampeded and knocked everything over.” G’raggo slumped in a chair next to Udon.

  
“And then they all died!” Maildrall, the blue mantid alien rumbled. 

  
“Yeah, it was like when that feldruk broke loose from the fence.” G’raggo could see the very moment when Talay began to pale.

“Ohh, I’m glad I didn’t stay out longer than necessary.” Talay crouched low, clutching the sides of his head. 

  
“The Captain’s sorting some things out with Momo Larloch. It looks like there’s been a development in the search for the Invader.”

  
Talay paused at the news from G’raggo. “What about it?” He asked.   
  
“Well, the animals just kind of...turned into little glowy bits of dust? The captain got a jar of them and is going to take a look. He was going to the medbay with it.” 

“We had a medbay this whole time!?” Talay gawked. “Why didn’t anyone bring me there two weeks ago?!”

  
“I dunno, I haven’t seen it.” G’raggo shrugged.   
  
Talay groaned and touched Udon’s shoulder.   
“Hey, I’m going to go take a look at that. You’ll be sure the kids eat?”

  
“Of course.” Udon nodded, propping Donyx to her chest.

Talay arrived in the medbay - underfurnished, underdone, with the bare minimum of supplies. Lard Nar was frantically trying to assemble a microscope.

  
“Is this why we don’t have an official medic yet?” Talay asked while Lard Nar was rummaging for a power switch under the counter. 

  
Lard Nar jumped, smacking the back of his head against the top of the counter. “Ow!” He shouted, pulling back and dropping to the floor, clutching his head. “Owww!” He cringed. “Really? You show up while I’m--” He stopped with a pained whimper.   
  
Talay calmly came around to check for injuries. “Well, you don’t have a lump yet.” He felt around the edge of a round mark.

  
“We don’t have time for you to go all Dad on me!” Lard Nar forced himself back upright. “We need to look at that!” He pointed at the jar full of glowing specks sitting on the counter.

He grumbled and found the plug for the microscope. “There, the power’s on.” He hauled himself back up by the edge of the counter.

“How are you going to get one out without letting all of them loose?” Talay asked. “Like that one time when we were kids...when we went to that cabin and Lumpia--” He paused, watching Lard Nar’s expression go sour. “Dol Oro?” He corrected himself.

  
“Don’t talk about my brother right now.” Lard Nar frowned . 

Talay nodded. “Okay. I understand.” He watched Lard Nar open a small gap in the lid and fish out one of the particles in tweezers, and set it in a slide he had already prepared.  
  
“I don’t even know how to refer to him. Is his name really Dol Oro now? Is it a stage name?” He stepped away from the microscope, holding his horns anxiously. “Why did he stop talking to us when he started working with the Irkens? I thought he was --” He stopped. “Oh god, he went with the courtiers.” 

“Haven’t exactly heard that much about that rank.” Talay fiddled with the microscope lens in hopes of a good look at the particle. 

“Entertainers, advisors, pets that stand around and look pretty…” Lard Nar started, his voice raising with every description.

  
“Yeah, I know that part.” Talay looked up, waving him over.   
“But you should come see this.” He pointed at the slide. 

  
Lard Nar peered through the lens. “Um…”   
  
Underneath the slide, he could see the particle closer.   
“That...that is a bug.” He looked at Talay, then back into the lens. He moved it closer. 

  
It was a small ball of dozens of tiny squirming worms. 

  
“It’s a loo--” Lard Nar stepped away, clapping his hand to his mouth and gagging. “It’s a lot of them.” 

“Well, that’s one answer solved.” Talay grabbed Lard Nar by the arm and pulled him to the sink, fearing the worst. “Now...what are they?” He wondered aloud.

  
“I saw them...appear from the swamp animals that stampede over the carnival. They came out like a cloud and left nothing behind. The last thing I saw, the feldruk handlers were trying to stop their animals from eating plants that were covered in these...horrible bugs.” 

Talay paused in thought.   
“Well, I was never in the biological department, but you said you worked with the guy who made Schloonktapooxis.” He cocked his head.   
“Did you see or hear any plans of this kind?” He asked. 

  
“I knew about a brain parasite project, but I thought it was… you know, the big kind.” Lard Nar pushed away from the sink.   
  
“The brain eater? Yeah, I remember Zim having one of those before he asked me for remote chair schematics for the Massive. That was a fun day.” Talay smirked.

  
“Well, I would have died if you hadn’t coincidentally gotten involved, so thanks for that.” Lard Nar looked at the jar. “So...if they’re brain parasites...what is Invader Skutch’s plan and what do we do about it?”

“I suppose that’s the next thing. If we can even find him.” Lard Nar looked at the jar he now suspected was full of parasites. “So what do we do about the ones we have?” He wondered.

“Does the incinerator work?” Talay pointed to the medical waste incinerator. 

  
Lard Nar shrugged. “Let’s try it!” He rushed to switch it on, and chucked the glass and slide into the open flame.   
  
“Did you just put glass in--” Talay quickly slammed the shield up moments before the jar shattered, casting the parasite cluster into the open air.   
They quickly dissolved into smoke and vanished. 

“Well uh...there’s that problem solved.” Lard Nar clasped his hands together.  
“But we can’t just set the forest on fire.” Talay frowned.   
“Besides, who knows how far these have spread. They could be in the surrounding regions of the planet by now, if they’ve been eaten by too many animals.” 

Lard Nar paused in thought.

  
“Maybe Skutch is planning on wiping out the biodiversity? Wreak havoc on the ecosystem until it affects the cultural populations?” 

  
“We’ll never know until he’s found.” Talay sighed. 

  
“And how are we going to find him?” Lard Nar asked.

  
“Well...what’s our... _ friend _ doing?” Talay wondered.   
  
“Which ‘ _ friend _’? You mean Lork?” Lard Nar frowned. 

  
“Yeah! We have an Irken, we might as well use him.” Talay watched the particles disappear in the flames, popping out of existence like they hadn’t been there at all. 

  
“Hmph. Fine.” Lard Nar huffed. “Let’s see what he’s doing.” 

  
“You’ll go. My kids are going to need me any minute now.” Talay switched off the incinerator when every particle was gone and the glass had turned dark and smoky.   
  
  


  
  


Skutch focused deep on the holographic globe of the Planet Pibos. He could watch the slow crawl of blue spread across the swamp.   
Tasorm could only see a little bit for himself. He could hear from Skutch’s low cackling that the spread could only mean something sinister.   
  
He could also see the tall cylinder containing a glowing mound - which he assumed was some sort of rock. He was reminded of the stone from the Temple of Kingdoms back at home.   
Now gone like the rest of the planet.   
  
“What’s that--” He started to ask, but was quickly cut off.   
  


“Quiet! I’m still not sure what I’m doing with you while I have a planet to conquer!” Skutch spat at him.   
  
Tasorm huddled low, curling his arms around his knees. He watched a small portion of the mound start to smoke.   
“Your thing’s burning.” He mumbled, pointing at the mound.   
“What do you mean it’s--” Skutch turned to the cylinder. 

He gasped sharply.   
“No! I haven’t seen any reports of fires!” He spun back for his holographic globe, spinning furiously in an effort to make sure he hadn’t missed any in range of the path.   
  
“Why are they--” Tasorm started.   
  


“Ah uh! Shush!” Skutch snapped his fingers multiple times. “I’m doing something!”

“Then why don’t you let me out?” Tasorm pouted. 

“Because you’ll reveal my hidden base.” Skutch hissed. 

“But my family will miss me.” Tasorm whimpered. 

Skutch rolled his eyes. “I don’t care! I need to figure out where the burning is coming from!” 

The smoke dissipated, leaving a small portion of the mound behind, as Skutch continued his struggle to investigate.

“TONY!” He shouted at the SIR unit that was standing idly to the side.   
  


“Yes, sir!” TONY snapped to life, saluting. 

“Go above and investigate the populated zone.” Skutch pointed upwards.   
“I want regular reports!” 

“Yes, sir!” TONY repeated, and bounded for the elevator up.

  
  
  


Lard Nar entered the room where the Irken captive was being held, finding that Lork had built a fort out of the couch and blankets. He had even managed to drag down the mattress from the bed.  
Lard Nar found him on the inside, helping himself to a bag of snacks.

  
“Did you leave the room to get those?” His right eye twitched. 

  
“Well, you didn’t post a guard and you didn’t lock the door.” Lork popped one of the puffed snacks into his mouth.   
“And I got bored. So I went to the kitchen and came back. You should really do security recordings.”   
  


Lard Nar covered his eyes in frustration.   
“I don’t have time to be lectured! You were a strategist, right?” 

“Tactician, but you could say that too.” Lork crossed his legs. “What’s up, you need something?” He asked.   
  


“We’re trying to find Invader Skutch.” Lard Nar explained.   
  
“Oh, Skutch? Yeah, he didn’t do too great in the Invader Academy. Lots of hiding, not enough blasting.” Lork pointed around a puff as if it were a weapon, before eating it.   
“He liked to stay away from the simulated civilized areas. His base was made up less of dwelling huts and more like fake rocks.”   
  


“Why would that make him fail, that--never mind.” Lard Nar stopped.   
“Do you know his tells? We were able to find Invader Krunk’s base when he was hiding around the Serrish village, but a rock’s going to be harder to hide.” 

“How many big rocks have you seen around this swamp? Nothing but trees that block out the light. So if there happens to be a rock, make sure it’s not made of metal. It’s that easy.”   
  
“You...just spilled all that out.” Lard Nar was baffled.   
  


“Pff! I have no loyalty to the Empire!” Lork scoffed. “I couldn’t do what I wanted and the pay was terrible. That and I made more money as a thieving pirate than I did there.”   
  


“Well, you won’t be paid anything here. No one is.” Lard Nar crossed his arms. “And that’s going to be a problem eventually…”  
  


“Not without me you aren’t.” Lork grinned coyly.  
  
“We’re not becoming pirates!” Lard Nar jumped up and back.   
  


“Who said anything about becoming pirates?” Lork brushed his antennae back.   
  


“You _ being _ a pirate.” Lard Nar pointed at him aggressively.   
  


“Look, don’t you have an Invader to get a hold of?” Lork crossed his arms.   
“And what are you going to do when you get to him? Politely ask him to stop?” He asked.   
  


“I mean, we basically incinerated Krunk, so…” Lard Nar gritted his teeth.   
  


“You got lucky with that atomic tank. Not going to have anything like that here.” Lork dug into the bag of puffed snacks.   
  


“Right now, we just need to put a stop to whatever he’s doing now. Something with tiny parasites?” 

  
Lork paused. “Oh yeah, you...need to get done fast. I don’t know which ones he’s using, there’s a lot of them, buuut...yeah.” Lork flopped onto the mattress. “Just go looking for big weird rocks the locals don’t recognize.”   
  
Lard Nar nodded. “Well...thanks, I’ll keep that in mind. No tricks?” He pointed.   
  


“Why would I trick you? I’m not in league with Skutch.”  
  


“Pardon me if I’m slow to trust Irkens.” Lard Nar crossed his arms. “Especially after the way we were stabbed in the back.”   
  
“Tallest Miyuki _ did _ die on _ your _ planet.” Lork shrugged.   
  


“And our prince died fighting one of _ your _ wars. Tallest Miyuki did everything she could for reparations.”   
  
Lork raised a brow. “Do you think things only went sour when the current Tallest took power?” He asked.   
“Do you think the destruction of the planet Kaungarva was their idea alone? I bet the people out in that carnival know way more about what was going on with Miyuki than you do.”   
  
Lard Nar paused, held up a finger with his mouth open, then snapped around.   
“I’ll deal with that later!” He hissed.   
  
Lork watched his departure, shoving two of the snack puffs in his mouth at once.   
“Take your time.” He shook his head, licking off some of the orange dust from his fingers. 

  
  
Lard Nar returned to the kitchen, where Talay was helping his children handle their own spoons.   
  


“Talay, Lork just gave me substantial information for finding the Invader.” He approached him and the others that had gathered in the kitchen - now including Spleenk, Schloonktapooxis and Ixane. 

“He said we have to find a rock where there shouldn’t be a rock.”  
  


“Yeah?” Talay opted to just hold Goji’s spoon for her when it became apparent her grip wasn’t strong enough to handle it.   
  
“How are we supposed to get into the base once we find its cover?” Lard Nar crossed his arms. “It’s not like there’s a door like on Zim or Krunk.”   
  


“There’s probably a hidden switch.” Talay suggested.   
“Maybe another smaller rock.”   
  


“What if we need to cut wiring? You were the Doomsday Device Guy, wouldn’t you be the one who knows how to do that?” Lard Nar asked. 

  
“Do you...think I’ve cut wires on my own Doomsday Devices?” Talay scowled, but only briefly, snapping to a broad smile. “Because I have. Scary times!”   
  


“So if you can do that, you can get into an Irken base?” Lard Nar asked. 

  
Talay’s smile disappeared. “I…” He looked at his children, all of them in different points of progress with their food. Goji was unable to keep a strong grip on her spoon, unintentionally dropping it when her little fingers couldn’t stay wrapped around its stem comfortably.   
“I’m not going into an Irken base again.” Talay touched the cap on his horn. “Not yet, anyway.”   
He picked up the spoon when it was dropped, and handed it back to Goji’s open palm.

Lard Nar paused. He looked away.   
“Sorry. I got lost in the moment.” He cleared his throat.   
  


“You know how to cut wires too, you know.” Talay looked back at him after thinking for a moment that Goji was finally able to hold the spoon.  
  


“I’m asking for your help because the Invader probably has Master Scradox’s grandson.” Lard Nar clarified.   
  
He watched annoyance drain from Talay’s face. 

“What?” Talay gasped. 

  
“He disappeared in the woods while the family was burying that feldruk and...our guess is that he got too close to the Invader’s base.” 

Talay looked at his triplets, sighing. He allowed Goji to shove her hand in the porridge to eat it with her fingers. 

“I know how worried his parents must be…” He sighed, standing up. 

  
Spleenk took the spot he was sitting in. “Don’t worry, we’ll watch them!” He waved his arm. 

“They’ll be crabby when it’s time for them to nap.” Talay sighed. “We have a routine and uh...I need to be there for it.” He patted his chest.   
  


“Well that was more information than I needed! Have fun storming the Irken base!” Spleenk forced a grin.  
  


“Daddy’s going to be back real soon.” Talay kissed each of them on the head.   
  
Goji whined and reached out. “Not again!”   
  


“I know, I know.” He hugged her. “There’s a kid who needs to be saved like you did, and I’m going to help.” 

  
Acai’s tiny hand patted Talay on his forehead, struggling to reach his horn. “No.” She pouted.   
  


“I’m not going to get hurt this time.” He huddled all three together. “Mister Spleenk will… hopefully take care of you if Udon helps.” He looked at her.   
The triplets turned around to look at Spleenk.   
  


Acai started counting his arms while Talay snuck out with Lard Nar, not even passing a glance at Donyx. 

  
  


Talay was sure to bring a small toolkit with him just in case the base required more leverage than he anticipated. Before stepping out into the woods with the rest of the search party, Lard Nar had insisted they stop to see what was happening at 

the carnival.

Structures were still being put back up, and food items were being tossed into waste receptacles.   
  


Achas was luring a feldruk to the stalls with the remains of the kyabbajes that had been trampled, as the merchant bemoaned the destruction of his wares.   
  


“Ah, my good Vortians, you’ve returned.” Master Scradox approached, joined by his mother with a hand on her back.   
“Especially you, Talay.” He nodded at him. “I’m grateful you could be here. After all the trouble with the Feldruk and...this, I do not blame you for being exhausted.” Master Scradox bowed slightly. 

“And with your impatience to return to your family. I do hope this will not keep you away for too long.” 

“Well, plenty more has pulled me away for longer.” Talay frowned.   
“My own children had been abducted by an Irken up until a few weeks ago.”   
  


“Oh, then we do have great sympathies with one another. I’m sure you’ve heard what’s happened to my grandson.” Scradox folded his arms behind his back.

  
Talay nodded. “I know what your family is going through.” 

“We’ve all faced tremendous loss to them. Both of our worlds were taken, one way or another. If we can stop the Invader from taking this one as well, it will mean justice.” Uloina held her son’s arm.   
  
“There won’t be justice until the Irken Empire is stopped completely.” Lard Nar huffed. “And we can’t do that until the Invaders are taken out. And their conquests reclaimed.”

“A task far easier said than done, but let’s focus on getting this kid to safety.” Talay touched his arm. “Has anyone been out into the woods yet?” He asked Master Scradox.

“My daughter and granddaughter, with the Pibosians and some of your friends. Momo Larloch is one of our own, of course they would help.” Master Scradox gestured to where Momo Larloch was speaking with Dalou and Achas. The trio was approaching, with Imdel trailing behind them.

“Good, because I have information!” Lard Nar waved for the group. “How goes the search and cleanup?” He shouted.   
  


“Slowly.” Achas sighed. “We’re trying to get the visitors under the big tent with some setups that went undamaged. At least the clowns weren’t hurt in the funhouse.” He stared out wistfully. 

“Good for the clowns! Has anyone seen big rocks in the woods?” Lard Nar asked.  
  
“Actually yes, right before the stampede. The Pibosians say they’ve never been seen before.” Momo Larloch remembered. “At least that’s what Roongis told me.” They added. 

“Oh! Oh, well...that...takes out a lot of time.” Lard Nar awkwardly cleared his throat. “Good job finding the thing before we even knew it was a thing!” He puffed up. 

“Original team back into the woods?” He asked.  
  
“Oh no!” Dalou frowned. “If that Irken’s in there, Imdel’s staying behind.” Her hand fell on her daughter’s shoulder.

“Mama! I can help!” Imdel stamped a foot.   
  
“You’re not going into that den of evil.” Dalou stressed further. 

“Besides, you don’t know what’s happened to your brother in that place.” Talay spoke up, touching Dalou’s arm. “An Irken took my kids from me for months; I only got them back...days ago.” He realized it had only been a little over two weeks since everything happened.

“There you go, you have a witness.” Achas patted Imdel’s shoulder. “You’re just going to have to stay behind with your grandpa and great-gramma.”   
  
“I wasn’t paying attention to him.” Imdel pouted furiously.   
  
“Well, you can take care of him when he comes home. Starting with getting a break from your practice for the show.” Dalou compromised. 

Imdel grumbled. “Fine.” She shuffled to her grandfather.   
  
“Also, burn any clusters if you find them.” Talay remembered the incinerator. “I think that gets rid of them.”   
  


The family all turned their heads to stare at Master Scradox. 

“That won’t be a problem.” Dalou clicked her tongue. “You’ll see at the show.”   
  
“You’re still having a show?” Lard Nar pointed at a collapsed vendor tent.

“The big top is still standing.” Master Scradox pointed to it. “And everything within it is stable. The show must go on, you know.” 

Scradox turned his head just slightly, spotting a sparkle of glowing cluster.   
  
For Talay and Lard Nar, it seemed as though fire had erupted from his hand, as the cluster suddenly combusted, before the flame was expelled by the surrounding water.

"Uh, that would be it, wouldn't it?" Talay rubbed his neck nervously.

Lard Nar started to back away to head to the woods. “Well, okay.” He watched a clown with smeared face paint try to help fix a food stand, only to slip on a fruit.   
A plank of wood fell on his head.

“Ooh, normally that would be funny, but that was just kinda sad…” He grimaced. 

“Can we go save this kid already?” Talay piped up. “Come on, Dalou. And bring a weapon in case he gets the jump on you.” He waved for her to follow him as he stomped toward the woods.   
  
“It’s this way.” Momo Larloch headed the other way.   
  
Talay circled back, shoulders squared.   
  
“Bring a weapon!” He reiterated, pointing at her. 

  
  


Dalou looked at her husband, extending her hand. “Sword.” She said simply.   
  
Achas watched Talay nervously. “Alright.” He took off the belt holding his sword and its sheath. 

“Be safe.” He helped her put it on. “I’ll look after Imdel.” He pressed his forehead to hers.  
  
“I’ll bring him home safe.” Dalou cupped his chin in her finger. 

Lard Nar watched Talay march ahead and dashed after him. “Wait up!” 

“I can’t!” Talay shouted back. “You keep up!” 

  
  
  


The rest of the group were caught up with him within minutes, as Momo Larloch and Roongis lead them to the rocks that were in the woods.

Talay approached the tallest of the rocks, which had a slightly misshapen dome shape. He knocked on it, and heard a metallic thunk deep within.  
“Yeah, this is it.” He nodded, looking around at the ground for anything to indicate something for an opening.   
  
He kicked at a smaller rock as he considered the environment. The rock lifted, just as Lard Nar was leaning on it. He jumped away with a high yelp.   
  
“Huh. That was terribly hidden.” Dalou frowned. “And these are the brutes that destroyed my planet.” She crossed her arms.   
  
Talay nervously bit his lip. “Well, let’s not just hang around.” He looked down the long red-lit hallway, which had a sealed door at the end.   
  
“We’ve got a kid to save.”   
  
“And an invasion to stop.” Lard Nar reminded him.   
  
Talay paused, and slowly nodded. “Yeah, that too.” 

  
  
  


TONY was about to return from the recon mission he had been sent on, and spied the small group of rebels from behind them, against a tree.   
  
He calculated.   
There was no chance of warning the Master. 

But he could get help. He scanned for the nearest Irken communication links.   
  
There was one on the planet. Closeby.   
  
  
  
  
Laksa was keen to take his mind off the stress of the day. He sprawled on his bed, fervently kissing Dolly at his neck and under his jaw. Dolly draped his arms over Laksa’s back in a loose, but secure hold.   
  
Just as he was about to put everything behind him, he heard an alert from his comlink.   
  
“Oh what now!?” He slammed his fist on a vacant pillow.   
  


“Ahh, no rest for the wicked.” Dolly sighed, sitting up and letting the shoulder strap of his silky gown slip lax. 

Laksa snatched the comlink off his charging station. “Do you mind, I’m busy!” He snapped at the SIR unit on the video screen.  
  
“SIR unit Tony. Invader Skutch’s position has been compromised.” 

“So help him yourself.” Laksa clenched his hand as it shook with impatience.   
  
“There are too many. Aid is required.” TONY clarified.   
  
Laksa growled. “Fine. Send me the coordinates.” He ended the conversation. 

  
  


He fixed his undershirt and the compression wrap around his hip so it was better coordinated, then dug into his closet for his uniform.   
  
“Sooo...gonna have to put a pause on this?” Dolly extended his arm out across the bed, and landed his hand on his hip.   
  
“Unfortunately.” Laksa slipped into his uniform.   
  
“I’ll be waiting.” Dolly lounged on his arm. He watched Laksa attach his watch before he trudged off in a huff. 

  
  
  


Laksa read the coordinates Tony had sent as he left his caravan, gripping his sword in its sheath.   
  
“Serves you right getting compromised.” He huffed, stomping off for what he was sure would be the continuation of a terrible day.


	29. Underground

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a TW down the line for a fairly gruesome moment.

Laksa kept to the edges of the carnival. If he was seen in his uniform, he might become a suspect for the causes of the stampede. It was true that he was never involved, but it was best to limit any chances of concern. 

He entered the woods with no trouble, now creeping among the trees, finally noticing just how enormous their trunks were. They were ancient and wide as they were gigantic. He paused only to marvel at them for a brief moment.  
  
“Baron! Why are you stopped! Master needs help!” A robotic voice bleated from his side.  
  
Laksa jumped, seeing the SIR unit emerge from behind one of the large trees. 

“I was on my way.” Laksa frowned.  
  
“There’s no time to stall!” TONY stonily insisted. “Now we go to my master’s aid!” He started a march into the woods.  
  
Laksa huffed, with no choice but to follow. He made sure he could reach his sword, for security. 

  
  


As Achas fixed a lead over a white speckled feldruk, he spotted something peculiar out from his long red eyes. He saw the Vortian he had crossed swords with before the stampede.  
  
But he wasn’t wearing the poet’s shirt he had been in before - he was in an Irken uniform. And he was following a SIR unit deeper into the trees, in the same direction Dalou and Imdel had gone with the others. 

  
“No time to tell old boss-father-in-law.” He clicked at the Feldruk. “Let’s go, old girl.” He cued her to let him on her back, swinging his legs up and over. He guided her to follow, while making sure to remember he had some sort of weapon - even if it was just the prop sword at his side.  
  


  
  


Lard Nar was the first into the Irken base, keeping Talay close at his side. Dalou led the rest of the group, her right hand on the sword on her left side. 

“This guy sure seems to like a long tunnel.” He grumbled as he followed the sloping path.  
  
“He doesn’t even bother with the house facade.” Talay gumbled. “You’d think more of them would think about that!” He tilted his head.

“And the door’s open.” Lard Nar pointed to the gap where a metal door would have kept a barrier into the darkened lab.  
  
“He probably didn’t think anyone would get this far.” Dalou looked around for traps. “Or even through the ‘rocks’.” 

  
Roongis warbled, poking his long neck around from behind her.  
  
“He doesn’t have traps in the entrance, why would he have traps in the...actual...lab?” Lard Nar held Talay back when they had crossed into the lab, staring toward a blue glow that nearly filled the whole darkened room, casting light on some surrounding machinery and obscuring others into darkness, save for what emitted from various screens and indicators. 

  
  


What Lard Nar saw turned his gut.  
On the edge of the wall, framed by thick, snaking tubes, was a tall cylinder containing a glowing hive of the particles, pulsing together in a mound.

“Well, um...solves the problem of finding where the Invader is getting the parasites from.” He pointed uncomfortably at it. 

  
Talay noticed a screen near it. He stepped over to look at the display, finding a digital map, with several blue blobs in and around the swamp.  
  
They were spreading beyond the swamp, into the forest and grasslands on the perimeter.  
  
Talay waved Lard Nar over. “Take a look at this.” He pointed. “They’re spreading.” 

“No surprise, with how quickly they dispersed from the stampede.” Lard Nar watched. “So then what?” He asked. 

“I don’t know…” Talay shrugged. “Might have to see if he’s got any notes.” He tapped on the screen a few times. “Wow, he doesn’t even have touch identification!” He gasped. “He sure got cocky about how well he was hidden.” he rolled his eyes. 

Talay could see Dalou moving in the glow of the light. “Hey!” He minded how much he raised his voice. “Don’t go on your own.” He crept to her. “I made that mistake and look what it got me.” He warned her.  
  
“What...what did you do?” Dalou asked.  
“An Irken had my kids hostage and when I went to rescue them...bad things happened.” He rubbed his horn. “Things I can’t talk about…at least not now.”  
  
“Well...I’ll make sure those things don’t happen to me.” Dalou frowned. “I’ve already lost enough to Irkens, I’m not losing my son too.” 

“Yeah...know the feeling.” Talay sighed.  
  
“At least your world isn’t blown to pieces.” 

“Hello!?” A little voice called in the dark. “Someone there?” 

“Tasorm!” Dalou gasped. “Where are you?” She called. 

“Mama? I’m over here!” There was a little clatter of metal.  
  
  
Dalou started to rush toward the noise, drawing her sword. Talay had thought for a moment that it was a prop for a performance, carried just to look threatening - until he noticed how sharp it was.  
  
He scurried behind her. “Wait, be careful!” He hissed, grabbing her unarmed hand. “Skutch could be here somewhere.” 

“I’ve got a weapon.” Dalou used the end of her sword as a guide, gently brushing it along the floor in front of her. 

“I’m over here!” Tasorm cried out again, closer as they approached.  
  
“Can you put your hands out?” Dalou called.  
  
“Yeah!” Tasorm responded.  
  
“Put them where we can find you!” 

Talay looked ahead into the darkness, no longer paying attention to Dalou as she and her son called back and forth to one another.

  
  
  


He was reeling back to the memory of his children calling for him from their containment tube in Zim’s lab. At least Zim kept lights on in his lab when he found them.

“I found your hands!” He heard Tasorm shout..  
  
“I know, I found yours!” Dalou called back.

  
  


“And I found you!” A third voice scratched in the dark. 

  
Talay jumped, as a pair of glowing red orbs blinked into view and floated closer - and higher. He could hear the skitter of light metal and realized...Skutch was ready for them.

Talay was unable to run as the darkness was suddenly replaced by red lights. Skutch was high above him, standing on pak legs, tapping a shock rod in his palm.  
“I’ve never had intruders before. What do I do with you…” He rubbed his chin menacingly. 

Talay looked over his shoulder. He could see Dalou farther down the room near a control center, clasping her son’s hands in hers.  
  
She stepped away from him, drawing her sword.  
“About time you showed up. I’m going to make you regret taking my son from me.”  
  
“Who are you?” Skutch asked with a frown. “I was focused on the Vortian that broke through my security!”  
  
“You barely had any security!” Talay exclaimed. “You dropped gigantic rocks in a flat swamp!”  
  
“It was foolproof!” Skutch snarled.

“All I had to do was push another smaller rock!” Talay clapped a hand to his forehead. “Any idiot could have stumbled in!”

“You’ve come for my brain parasites, haven’t you?” Skutch’s eyes narrowed menacingly.  
  
“And the boy you kidnapped. Also a dumb move.” Talay had noticed a workbench beside him and slowly started to reach for a wrench. It might not be an effective weapon, but it would at least be distracting enough to seem threatening.

As he gripped his fingers around it, a dart of electricity bolted for him.  
It struck his wrist with a shocking volt. 

Talay recoiled with a high yelp, and before he could regain his footing, Dalou raised her arm and fired a burst of flame in Skutch’s direction.  
  
Skutch swooped away on the pack legs in an effort to avoid the flame, as Talay sank against the table, grasping his wrist.  
  
He could only recall Zim striking him in the back with his own electric rod; he could hear Tasorm shouting at his mother - more in aggressive encouragement than the terror his children had. He could only hope that Dalou did not become a victim of vengeance like he had.  
  
He could only grip the table in an effort to not collapse as the lab began spin. For a brief moment, he saw Lard Nar dash for him as he felt he felt weightless.  
He felt Lard Nar’s arms wrap around his waist, just for a moment. Everything after that was fog.

  
  
  


“The base is here!” TONY pointed at the rocks that stood in the middle of the woods.  
  
“What, he couldn’t have disguised the entry to his base as a tree?” Laksa extended his arms to point all around him. “He went with rocks? On a geologically barren swamp?” 

  
TONY pouted, arms falling to its side.  
“We like rocks.” Its voice fuzzed. 

Laksa groaned, pinching between his eyes. “How were you not spotted a long time ago?”

“Everyone was busy.” TONY pointed to the circus lights. “So are we.” Its direction changed a little to the felruk that was galloping across the wet grass.  
  
Laksa cringed nervously, stepping back, ready to bolt to hide behind one of the false rocks if he had to. 

“Laksa!” He heard Achas from its back. “I see you! And your uniform!”  
Laksa froze even further.

“You were followed!” TONY blared.  
  
“You’re surprised? I’m a Vortian in bright pink Irken regalia!” Laksa hissed.

The feldruk stopped a short walk from the rocks, allowing Achas room to dismount and approach.  
  
“So this is where my wife has gone?” He asked. 

“Your wife went down?” Laksa looked at the rocks.  
  
“She went looking for our son when your friend kidnapped him.” Achas clenched a hand. “Did you fight me to distract us from the capture?” He asked. 

“I had no idea the Irken abducted anyone.” Laksa stepped further around the rocks. “But I’m not surprised, he’s already blowing his cover enough as it is.” He knocked on the rock.

“Enough chatter!” TONY barked, opening the lid of its head to lift out a blaster. It was promptly fired at Achas, who had already launched himself out of the way of the laser before it could fire.  
  
It struck the ground by the feldruk. She bellowed, startled first by the beam that just missed her, and then by the hot steam that bubbled up beside her.  
  
  


Laksa gasped and dropped to the ground completely behind the rocks, covering his shoulders as she charged in TONY’s direction. He anticipated TONY would fire again. Instead, he heard a metallic crunch. 

He peeked around behind the rock, watching the feldruk swing away TONY’s body section from its head, which remained in her beak. She dropped it and shuffled her split hooves around it.  
  
Achas made eye contact and flared the fins on the cap of his head.  
“Alright. Not letting you get farther.” He slid down from the feldruk, drawing his sword as he approached.  
  
Laksa scoffed. “Put that toy away. Do you even know how to have a proper spar, showman?” He drew his own, still rattled by what he had witnessed. 

“Better hope I do against you.” Achas admitted, extending his sword. 

“Better hope your wife comes out.” Laksa retorted, drawing his own.  
“I--I mean it though, I don’t think any of us want to be here right now.” 

He jumped back as Achas ran for him - his first mistake. He raised his sword to block the attack. Clearly this was a man who had never learned to hit anyone with a weapon.  
  
‘Better make him wish he had learned.’ Laksa thought to himself, preparing for the first hit. 

  
  
  


Talay snapped back into focus, propped against Lard Nar’s shoulder - still standing.  
“Are you okay?” Lard Nar was frantically patting his cheek. “Can you stand up?”

Talay blinked and shook himself to awareness. “I’m fine.” He grumbled, pushing forward off his shoulders. 

He could hear the clatter of metal. Peering over his shoulder, he saw Momo Larloch and some Pibosians pulling open the barred prison that held Tasorm.  
  
Before Momo Larloch could kneel and check Tasorm for injury, the little boy was already charging forward to the space where Dalou was firing fire pellet after fire pellet at Skutch.  
  
Most missed and ignited on the ground. Others bounced off Skutch and rebounded onto the walls before lighting up. Until finally, once sparked on his uniform and lit up.  
  
Skutch’s shriek echoed through the walls as the fire consumed his uniform. He dropped to the floor, disembarking from his pak legs, furiously patting down the fire with his hands.  
  
“You--you--” He snarled. “I should be the one setting the fi--AAK!” Another bolt hit him right on one sleeve - a second further down. Skutch frantically swatted it out. Scorch marks streaked across his whole uniform. “I thought we destroyed your planet, yet here you are crawling around like--”  
  
Dalou stomped ahead, sending five more bolts. 

“Stop! Stop!” Skutch tumbled. “Pest!” He snarled.  
  
  
Lard Nar grabbed the wrench Talay had attempted to pick up moments before. Hauling it in one hand, and leading Talay by the arm in the other, he hurried to the container holding the parasites.  
  
“Right, if we could get Dalou focused over here…” Lard Nar stopped Talay in front of the observation screen.  
  
The blue of the globe was starting to spread out from the perimeter of the swamp, into the dry forest surrounding it.  
  
Time was of the essence.  
  
“So how do you plan on--” Talay turned around, hoping for an explanation for opening the container.  
  
Lard Nar had already taken many swings at the containment tube with the wrench, sending spiderweb cracks across the surface.  
  
“Oh, oh...okay.” Talay stepped back awkwardly until the thick glass finally shattered, opening up a gaping hole.  
  
Shards rained down on the floor and scattered, skirting across the room.  
  
“What!?” Skutch gasped. “What have you done!?”

“The other thing we came here to do!” Lard Nar attempted to swing the wrench.  
It fumbled between his fingers and dropped on the ground amid the glass.  
  


  
Talay looked over at the screen; suddenly the blue spots dissolved abruptly as the whole base colony of blue burned away.  
  
“This has gotta be the dumbest hive mind I’ve ever seen.” He sighed. 

  
They all stared at it for a moment, allowing Tasorm time to catch up with his mother and hug her leg. 

The parasites started to crawl out from the hole in the glass.  
  
“Ha! Your plan failed!” Skutch cackled. “Now they’ll only spread fast--hey!”  
  
Before Skutch could finish, a fireball erupted within the tube. The hot yellow flames consumed the pulsing blue glow within moments.  
  
Skutch shook his fists with a wrathful shout. “Fools! You’ve ruined my plans!”  
  
Suddenly he shrugged, his rage melting away. “Oh well. Good thing I have other options. A good Invader doesn’t stop after one failure.” He retrieved his electric rod from a holster on his side. 

“But first...I have to remove the obstacles.” He pointed it at Lard Nar, readying to launch a static bolt. 

Before it could fire, something shoved him from behind his back, sending the bolt in another direction.  
  
“You’re bad!” Tasorm shouted from where he stood on Skutch’s back and kicked the back of his head.

“Brat!” Skutch struggled against where he was pinned.  
  
“Tasorm, get away!” Dalou seized him around the middle, lifting him off Skutch’s back. 

  
  


Lard Nar pointed to the three of them, nervously turning to Talay, Momo Larloch, and Roongis.  
“Should uh...should we do something about this?” He asked.

“Sure.” Momo Larloch cracked their fingers. “I’ve waited a long time for this.” 

“Besides that.” Lard Nar grabbed their wrist, just as Skutch burst from the floor, activating his pak legs.  
  
“I’ll just have to make a new base! Somewhere more hidden! More concealed! Just you wait to see what I’ll do!” He shouted, crawling for the exit.  
  
Roongis blocked the way, bleating furiously, pointing at him with his proboscis. The other Pibosians joined him, forming a line. 

“Out of my way!” This time, a blaster emerged from his pak, levelling over his head.  
  
Dalou raised her arm and launched a pellet against his back, just below the pak. 

With a frustrated shout, Skutch vaulted over the Pibosians, dropping the pak legs only momentarily, before rushing up the hall.  
  
“TONY! TONY, where are you with help!?”  
  
Lard Nar heard his voice echo.  
  
“Don’t let him escape!” He pointed ahead.  
Roongis was already leading the others forward.

  
Lard Nar waved for the Kaungarva and Talay. “Right, just us now. Let’s go!”  
  
  
  


Laksa was surprised that Achas had lasted so long against him. This should have been over within seconds.   
  
He’d expected him to surrender quickly, but it seemed he was better in combat than he anticipated. It was likely his advantage of being taller.  
  
Achas was surprised Laksa hadn’t attempted any escapes - especially with the Feldruk now grazing peacefully nearby, amid the bits of the machine she had just destroyed.

They had circled the rocks nearly seven times while the feldruk ignored the clash of swords. Laksa finally ascended one of the rocks – one he hoped was strictly decorative, and stood above Achas, swatting his sword just above his fins. The blade just barely made it to scraping across the skin.

Achas yelped sharply. “What are you doing!?”

“Teaching you a lesson in allowing a smaller opponent to take the high ground.” Laksa guarded himself with his sword pointed toward him.

“I’m not here for a lesson, old man.” Achas barked.

“I—I’m not that old.” Laksa frowned. “I’m forty-three.”

"Well, you look rough! What have you been through?” Achas grumbled, as he scrambled to cover his bleeding injury.  
  
Laksa watched him, ending his momentary offense, and jumped off the ‘rock’, flinging his arms around Achas’ neck and holding him tightly.

“And that’s another lesson to you!” Laksa hissed. “Never let your guard down.”

Achas spun backwards and slammed Laksa against rock. Laksa gasped with shock, dropping immediately and crumpling to the ground.

“And don’t you pick that move against someone who had seven brothers!”

Laksa coughed dryly and staggered back to his feet.

“You can’t be a hero this day.” He panted. “At least you can leave this planet.”

“Not without my wife and son.” Achas panted.

Laksa struggled to his feet, slipping on his left side, staggering as he worked to stand on his stilted toes. 

Before he could speak, one of the large stones began to lift. Someone didn’t wait for it to go up all the way, as an Irken Invader burst from the ‘hidden’ base, his uniform singed with burns, and a small welt on his back.

  
“TONY, get over - WOAH!” He gasped, lurching back. “What happened!?” He lifted a disembodied arm from the SIR Unit.  
  
“You!” Achas drew his sword away from Laksa, turning his back.  
  
“Hey, don’t turn your back in combat!” Laksa shouted, stuttering off as he was ignored. 

“Oh no another one.” Skutch cringed. “You!” He pointed at Laksa. “You’re in our uniform, help me!” 

“I…” Laksa pointed at the sword in his hand. “I was?” 

“Help me better!” He stomped over to the feldruk. “With this hideous beast!” He raised his voice. 

A mass of Pibosians emerged from the base now, in chase of the Irken.  
  
“Now! Now! Quickly! Their friend was throwing fire at me!”  
  
The feldruk snorted at Skutch’s increasing volume.

Finally, the other Kaungarga arrived, with the pair of Vortians.

Laksa stopped.  
  


Severely outnumbered, he shoved his sword back in its sheath and rushed to hide behind one of the large trees. All he could do was wait for the group to level out - or for something to happen to Skutch.

And judging from the temper of the Kaungarava woman…

“Where are you going!? WHERE ARE YOU GOING!?” Skutch shouted, backing away from Dalou as she tailed him.

  
“Papa!” Tasorm shouted as he emerged.

  
“Tasorm!” Achas beamed, dropping to his knees and flinging his arms open as Tasorm flew against him. “You got our boy--oh, oh…” Achas had started to stand to greet his wife, only to sink back, seeing her face stony as she made one more shot for Skutch’s back.

With one final yelp, Skutch slammed hard into the Feldruk’s leg. 

Talay had barely emerged by the time he caught sight of the gruesome scene that followed, as the Feldruk swung its head down and snapped its beak across Skutch’s neck and shoulder. 

He remembered what had happened to Laksa when he wasn’t much bigger than his own children. 

He covered his eyes and looked away. But he could hear Skutch yowl. He could hear the crack of bone, the squash of muscle.  
He peeked between his fingers; he could have sworn he saw Laksa behind a tree for a split second, color draining from his face.  
He felt Lard Nar grab him by the shoulders as his legs went weak.

Lard Nar whisked him away, turning him and rushing behind the rock.

“Drop!” He heard Dalou bark. 

Talay could only hear fleeting moments of her following conversation with her husband.

“That seemed...unnecessary.”  
“Necessary enough for the creep that tried to invade this planet and kidnap our son. And also serves the force that destroyed our home.”

Talay peeked over his shoulder, finding Skutch limp on the ground, a wide split across his back and shoulder - a small crack in his pak, which sparked and sputtered in an attempt to recover the injury. 

He spun back around, covering his mouth in an attempt to fight down the feeling of sickness at the sight of it.

Instead, he tried to focus on something else - the sound of Dalou and Tasorm noticing the scrape on Achas' fins.

"Yeah, I...may have to learn real swordsmanship..." Achas coughed with indignity.

  
Momo Larloch and Lard Nar swept around to get closer.   
“I’m not quite sure he’s dead.” Lard Nar whispered, turning Talay so he faced away from the grotesque scene of the Irken sprawled in the grass, oozing dark ichor. 

Momo Larloch pushed the Irken with his foot. “Dead enough.” He mused. 

“Or injured enough for justice.” Dalou paused from wrapping Tasorm in her tailcoat. 

“So what do we do?” Achas asked nervously. “Just leave him here?” 

“The armada will notice if he doesn’t respond to anything.” Lard Nar scratched his chin. “They’ll come looking.”

Talay looked at the massive tree where he thought he saw Laksa hiding. “Better hope that there isn’t already someone here who can deal with the situation!” He raised his voice forcefully. “Sure hope they have the chops to convince them to not come here!” 

“Are you talking to--” Achas started.  
  
“Yes.” Talay hissed.  
  
“But he--” Achas pointed.

“Yeah, for some reason, he also has a weird standard with the safety of my kids.” Talay whispered with a hiss. “Speaking of whom.” He started back towards the fairground.

“I need to get back to them. And you have a daughter to get back to as well.” 

A drained-looking Tasorm perked up a little. “Imdel!” He beamed. 

“And your grandpa and grammy.” Dalou picked him up, hoisting him onto her hip. He flung his arms around her neck. “Just don’t look at that nasty Irken while we leave.” She kissed his cheek.

  
Achas was coaxing the Feldruk to his side, gently calling her and coaxing her with a few remaining roots from his pockets. She was quick to follow, as if eager for a treat to settle her nerves. 

  
  


When the whole rescue party was out of sight, Laksa slinked out from behind the tree and dashed to Skutch.  
He extended his hand to his mouth, feeling for breath. He pressed a finger to his neck. There was only a bare pulse.  
  
He groaned, pulling his comlink from his hip.  
“Put me through to the nearest Irken medical hub.” He spoke into it.  
  
“Connecting.” The computer bleeped, as he hauled the mangled Irken over his shoulders. 

“This is the Irken Medic Ship. Is there an injury or disease?” An Irken in white uniform spoke on the video comlink.  
  


“Invader Skutch is mortally injured. He was attacked by an animal. We’re on Pibos.” He told the Irken medic.

“We’ll meet you halfway.” The medic slowly nodded, grimacing at the sight he was seeing when Laksa held the comlink above his head. 

“And I just got my carpet cleaned.” Laksa snarled after the call ended.  
He remembered how he had left Dolly, in his thin silky nightgown, just as impatient as he had been to leave the caravan nearly an hour ago. 

“So much for getting back to what we started.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big ol yikes for Skutch, but this brings us one more chapter until the epilogue of the Pibos arc! 
> 
> Finally, the circus of invasion to an actual circus.


	30. The Show Goes On

Talay sulked through the fairgrounds on his way back to the Resisto. 

The lab haunted him. 

He was still in shock from being electrocuted again - as redundant as it sounded. He still felt the bitter envy at how easily Dalou defended herself and her son against an expertly trained soldier.   
He was still reeling with repulsion at Skutch’s ultimate defeat in the jaws of the feldruk.

It sent a shiver down his spine that, as far as he knew, Skutch was still on the ground.   
  
(Though Laksa was hauling him through the woods over his shoulders, unbeknownst to him.)

He toned out the sound of Lard Nar’s jubilation of a job well done.   
  


He watched Dalou carry her son to the rest of their family.   
  
Her daughter, father, and grandmother were the first to come to her, bright with the relief of seeing Tasorm alright. 

Overjoyed that Dalou was alright. 

Uninjured. Victorious. 

With no unexpected additions.

“Now we can’t keep getting lucky and catching the Invaders when they’re just beginning their plots!” He heard when he refocused on Lard Nar.   
  
“At some point we’ll find someone in the middle of their work! We must check the list we found from Krunk.” 

“You can do that.” Talay muttered, stopping in the middle of the path as Dalou approached them.  
  
“I can’t thank you enough for helping us. Not just for finding our son so quickly, but...for everything.” She was beaming. “The Pibosians are going to have their own festival once our show is over tonight. To celebrate the Irken’s defeat.” 

Talay looked around the carnival. 

“After this mess you’re still going to do your show?” He raised a brow.  
  
“You know what they say, the show must go on.” Dalou smiled.   
“Besides, my cousins have taken care of the more difficult messes.”   
  
They had covered some toppled structures over and made into avant garde decorations along the path. A Kaungarava that Talay deduced was her cousin was trying to defend his work against another member of the troupe. 

“It just looks like you threw a sheet over it!”   
“While masking the shape of this unfortunate cart!” 

A fruit tumbled from out of the cart. The two troupe members stared down at it, before one of them slowly pushed the fruit back under the sheet with his foot.

“You’re really putting your son on after what he’s been through? He needs to rest.” Talay crossed his arms. 

“You don’t know my boy.” Dalou frowned. 

“I know what happens to children when they spend any amount of time in captivity with Irkens!” Talay snapped.   
  
“I know that all of us narrowly avoided terrible fates! Skutch could have experimented on Tasorm! We could all have been! You could have escaped with your son and an extra... _ thing _ that should never have spawned!” 

Dalou took some defensive steps backwards.   
“Are you projecting on me?”

“I’m saying you got lucky.” Talay firmed up.   
“And I’m also going to say that I will not live precariously through your escape.” He stomped toward the ship. 

“Talay! Where’s all this coming from, I--” Lard Nar started. 

“I’m going back to get the kids ready for the show, since it’s apparently still on!” Talay barked.   
  


“Ahh---okay!” Lard Nar shrugged awkwardly. “Then uh...is Tasorm going to be alright?” He asked.

  
  


“I can still juggle!” Tasorm shouted, grabbing an armful of some scattered fruits and tossing each one into the air until he was juggling them all.

“See!?” He shouted.

“Uhh. Yeah. You sure can move...what is that, twelve?”

“He was only in there for a few hours…” Lard Nar offered an explanation.  
  
“A lot can happen in a few hours.” Master Scradox nodded at Tasorm as he proved his capabilities. 

“Oh wow, he really is good.” Lard Nar muttered under his breath as Tasorm started tossing several balls and glittering colored squares of cloth in the air together. 

“I’d check on your friend if Tasorm’s feeling up to the show.” Dalou suggested.   
“He seems like he needs more attention.” 

“Ah, he’ll feel better after he’s been with his children for a little bit.” Lard Nar crossed his arms dismissively. “He only had to be in the lab because he knows his way around Irken labs.”  
  
“We didn’t even need him in the end, though.” Dalou took a seat on a nearby stool, and brought Tasorm into her lap.   
“The Irken shocked him and then he just...froze up until he had to monitor those things going away. He wasn’t even much help in getting Tasorm out!” 

Uloina stood resolute and quiet, until Lard Nar’s face contorted at Dalou’s statement.

“And you’re his captain?” She asked.   
  
Lard Nar shook his head.   
“We’re old friends. I helped him escape prison and save his children from another Irken.” 

“The Irken that injured him?” Uloina pressed. “The one that left a hole in his horn? As punishment for escaping his hold?” 

“I...never looked at it that way.” Lard Nar paused. “I had thought it was because…”  
Perhaps he shouldn’t say too much about Donyx. 

“Because he was a sadist.” 

  
  


“A sadist whose victim escaped. They all do it, one way or another.” She pointed her shining silver cane up to the canopy.

Her family and Lard Nar looked up, almost instinctively expecting stars above them.

“What are we looking at, Gramma?” Imdel piped. 

“I’d be pointing to our home star if we could see it.” Uloina clarified. 

“Now! If Tasorm thinks he’s feeling alright, then he should go into the big top to be ready for the show.” She pointed her cane at him.   
  
“I’ve been trying to say that!” Tasorm exclaimed. 

  
  


“Then everything’s fine here?” Lard Nar asked. 

“We’ll be preparing for what we can do for the show. We hope to see you and your crew. Free of charge, of course.” Master Scradox extended his hand to the ship docks. 

“Roongis might be awhile.” Momo Larloch warned him.

  
“I think he’s reuniting with some old flame?” They pointed to where Roongis was celebrating the victory over Skutch. He was accompanied by a slightly smaller, but brighter colored companion, affectionately coiling his proboscis with her’s.

“Good for him.” Lard Nar cocked his head, surprised but approving. 

“You coming in, Momo?” He snapped his fingers toward Momo Larloch.   
  
“I’ll be here with my own people for now.” Momo Larloch looked at the Scradoxes. 

“We’ll be happy to have you, friend.” Master Scradox extended a long, spindly hand to him.

“Well, no one let Roongis have a last-second wedding.” Lard Nar nodded at Momo Larloch. “I’ll be gathering up anyone who wants to see the show.”

  
  


Everyone was orderly as he had expected them to be.   
Even as Spleenk was incorrectly playing a card game with some of the Moo-Ping 10 gang. 

“I’m all in!” Spleenk threw down his cards.   
“We’re...not playing that.” Gr’aggo raised a brow. “And even if we were, you would have lost the bet.” 

  
  


Finishing the list of resistance members who wanted to attend the big top show, Lard Nar had started to ponder how to tell when it was night in the forest.   
  
From the main window of the cockpit, he noticed the glow of the lanterns expand. Some Pibosians were rushing to the edge, propping up large, glowing stones that had been lying along the pathways. 

“Yeah, circus!” Tomkha hollered, bolting for the door before Udon could finish putting a coat on him. It trailed half over his shoulders before Graggo scooped him off the ground. 

“Hey, you need to finish getting that on!” He tucked the sleeve over his other arm.

“You’re going too?” Tomkha gasped excitedly. 

“Gotta have some kind of fun after today. Today was crazy, kid.” G’raggo set him back on the floor. 

“Oh yeah, yeah! The feldruk was bad today!” Tomkha crossed his arms.

“I don’t think we’re going into how much further it went.” Lard Nar approached the door. 

“Oh yeah! Like the stampede!” Spleenk exclaimed.   
“And then the spores that started going around and--” Spleenk proceeded to babble half of what had happened.

“He doesn’t need the whole story!” Lard Nar squealed over him.   
  
He could hear the babble of Talay’s triplets coming down the hall, and quickly noticed them each in little gowns coordinated to the balls that Scradox had given them earlier.   
  
Talay was still carrying Goji on his hip, while Holly and Acai hobbled behind until G’raggo rushed to pick them up as well.   
  
“So you really are coming?” Lard Nar asked.   
  
“Yeah.” Talay nodded slowly.

Goji yawned widely, stretching her hand over his stomach and clung to him by a fistful of fabric.   
  
  
“We better get going, then!” Lard Nar clapped his hands together. “A lot of the others are already out!”

  
He snapped his fingers and pointed at Udon. “Are you coming?”   
  
“Oh no.” She shook her head. “It’ll be too much for the baby. We’ll manage by ourselves.” She patted Donyx on his back while he dozed on her shoulder.

He squealed groggily. 

Talay bit his lip; Holly used to do that. 

“You’re right. No place for a tiny baby.” Lard Nar nodded. “Have a good evening.”

“Talay, you’re absolutely sure?” Udon stared Talay down as she fixed her goggles. 

“I’m making some use of the free seats. Gotta make something out of my kid almost getting trampled.” Talay reached up to G’raggo so he could rub Holly’s cheek.

  
  
  


Several of the Resisty were waiting outside the massive purple tent as the other patrons entered.

They were greeted eagerly. “Captain, we were waiting for you!” Ido-Iko-Ibo’s heads spoke all at once. 

“We got snacks!” Garbled the drooling green blob, waving a bag of greasy popcorn.  
  
  
The Resisty was filed into the first few rows of the tiered seating around an enormous circle. Talay and Lard Nar were in the middle of the “eastern” front row. G’raggo, taller than the both of them, sat behind them with Momo Larloch and other taller members.   
  
As such, Acai and Goji were dropped in with Talay in his space from behind.   
  
They took a moment to get comfortable, convinced to sit still with the snacks that had already been retrieved for them. 

  
  


The lighting suddenly dropped. The chatter among the audience suddenly stopped over the sound of a steady drum roll. Goji momentarily yelped at the noise, but calmed as Talay rubbed her head.

“It’s okay, sweetie. It’s just circus noises.” He gently pulled her close. 

A steady kulning rang out in the dark, slowly joined by other voices, as Achas Nocha’s voice spoke out over them.

“Denizens of the Forest of Eternal Night. Visitors from near and afar. All honored guests under the tent of the Scradox Family Circus! Now, be amazed! Experience the thrill! Momentarily forget the horror--” Achas’ disembodied stopped to chuckle anxiously. “The absolute horror of this afternoon’s events.” They picked back up in their previous cantor.   
  
“Watch in awe, as we welcome to the ring, Master Jitherim Scradox!”

A single spotlight blinked on, pointing into the middle of the ring, where Master Scradox stood stoically in fresh robes, trailing long behind his legs.   
The kulning stopped for just a moment, before starting again once more a split moment after Scradox struck out the shining black cane he carried.   
  
He tilted up the broad hat perched over his head fins, took a deep breath, and in a low baritone…

_ Welcome and greetings, to each of you all _ _   
_ _ To my ladies and gentleman and miscellus to call _

_ Are you seeking a thrill? _ _   
_ _ Are you aching for delight? _

_ Is this the mirth you’ve been waiting for? _ _   
_ _ Will this be the time of your life? _

  
  


Lard Nar and Talay gawked awkwardly. Holly slumped against Lard Nar’s shoulder.

“What is ‘miscellus?’” Talay covered his mouth with a smirk.

“Um...have...have they always been a singing circus?” Lard Nar whispered to Momo Larloch, who sat behind him. 

They nodded. “Yep.” 

“Coulda told us that.” Lard Nar turned back around as the song started to climb.

Tomkha, however, slowly perked up in his seat. “It’s a song!” He beamed. 

“With surprisingly big production.” Talay watched as various troupe members emerged from the edges of the tent, their kulning fading out to join Master Scradox in song until they were all together.

The children were the last to appear, as Imdel descended sitting atop trapeze with Tasorm on her shoulders. He was juggling bright, glowing orbs. In a final flourish, he tossed them high above his head just as the greeting song ended, where they exploded into light. 

  
  


Afterwards, the acts followed as expected. 

Goji and Holly were mortified by the clown act, unable to keep up with the rapid pace of their slapstick and makeup.

Achas Nochia and Dalou stood on the back of feldruks while they engaged in mock swordplace. Lard Nar could have sworn there was a trace of anxiety on Achas’ face now that he had a standoff with a professional swordsman.

Feldruks were in nearly every act, Talay noticed, save for when Tasorm was performing.

“He probably hasn’t been trained.” Talay assumed when Lard Nar questioned it, pulling apart a soft, bready pastry for each of the four children. He tucked one portion back in its wrapper when he realized Acai had fallen asleep in his arms.  
  
For a moment, he was surprised she was able to sleep through the noise of the live music and explosions. He remembered the amount of noise that would have taken place in Zim’s lab; she would have been used to chaos and knew how to tone it out in order to sleep.

Tomkha, meanwhile, was overflowing with energy, shouting “Look at that!” every chance he got, before questioning what was happening immediately after. 

The show’s closing act was a farewell song, following the tempo backwards until it fell to Master Scradox alone in the darkened ring, left alone as each member of the troupe disembarked one by one.

This time, Lard Nar did not listen, as he turned to make another joke with Talay.

  
He was focused on the children, as the other two started bobbing their heads in a struggle to stay awake. The soft key of the farewell verse lulled them. Goji was already nearly asleep.

The spotlight faded out as the song ended, encasing the tent in darkness for only a moment  
  
When they flicked back on, the entire troupe had rejoined the ring for the final bows as an up-tempo version of the farewell song played.

Different groups bowed out before departing.

Before the central family members could leave, Talay could have sworn that Tasorm was looking more flushed than normal. But, as a child staying up late and going through an extreme trial, he opted to guess at exhaustion.

  
  


Talay arrived back in his room, finding Udon reading under the lamplight, while Donyx slept in his basket next to her.

“Heya Udon.” Talay slumped softly at the foot of the bed and slowly pushed himself up to the head of the bed. 

“How did it go?” Udon asked.

“Well they sang a lot for some reason.” Talay mumbled, lying down, resting Acai on his chest.   
Acai made cooing babble at him, nuzzling into his shoulder then abruptly falling asleep as quickly as she chattered. 

“Oh. I’d heard about that.” Udon softly watched Talay rub Acai’s back.

“I didn’t.” Talay yawned. “It’s just a little past bedtime, so…” He pointed tiredly to his bedroom door. “I’mma head to bed.”   
  
“Me too!” Tomkha tottered after him. 

“Oh, you’re coming with me?” Talay asked.   
  
“The baby’s too loud.” Tomkha pouted. 

“They get that way.” Talay sighed. “You can stay for tonight.” 

It didn’t take long to get the children prepared for bed; they were all too tired to protest being changed into night clothes, or to fight against their bathroom routines. 

Soon they were all dropped into bed. Holly started trying to drag over one of the picturebooks from the nightstand, but it was nearly too big for her. 

“You want some storybook, baby?” Talay sat up just enough for Acai to still rest her head on his shoulder.   
  
“Yeah.” Holly yawned again, pushing up and crawling to the edge of the bed, and struggled to pull over the picture book on the nightstand.   
  
“He’s the hero!” She held up the Prince Niam fable that he had read to them repeatedly for the last week.

“Yeah, he is! He got the magic grass cape.” Talay brought her to cuddle under his arm while he opened the book. 

“Stopped the mean Dib Beast.” Holly nodded. 

Talay stalled for a moment. “Ah--”   
  
Was she talking about Laksa? 

“Sure he did, sweetie.” He opened the book up as quietly as he could. Before he could even speak the first word, Holly squealed with delight at the art of the storybook prince on his balcony. 

Acai kicked awake, jamming her knee into his stomach with surprise at the noise. 

“Holly!” Tomkha whined, waking up with Goji as she mumbled groggily.

Talay rolled his eyes. Udon’s work to settle them for a nap were for naught.

“Okay.” He breathed out. 

“Let’s get cozy and read together.” He extended his arm out for Goji to crawl over to him. 

“You too, Tomkha.” 

“That’s a baby book!” Tomkha grumbled, but still shuffled over. 

“Hey, you’re never too old for Prince Niam stories. I remember my mother reading these to me.” Talay stretched his arm over, allowing Tomkha to lean on his shoulder. “If she were here, she’d...she’d probably read it to all of us even now.” His voice dropped off wistfully.

He cleared his throat, opening up the book across his lap and started to read.

“Prince Niam had a blue silk cape…”


	31. Mission Expansion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in a month??? 
> 
> Well, I had to get that chunk wrapped up at some point!
> 
> TWs:  
Graphic injuries (implied) at the beginning
> 
> Bit of a start to a makeout at the end, but it hits a fade to black.

Laksa’s journey back to the caravan was hard with Skutch flung across his back. 

He could feel Skutch breathing, but only shallowly. 

Once again, he had to dodge around in the shadows. This time, the carnival workers were focused on bringing everything together for the closing show.  
  


He was able to creep back to the caravan with more ease, if only for the difficulty of Skutch fading as he was carried.

Dolly finished covering over the futon with a camping tarp, while Voon and Kat frantically covered the surrounding floor to the door. 

He came around, sighing as he went to help them.  
“Come on, you’re just getting it twisted.” He pulled the bottom end of their tarp, turning it the opposite direction from where it was twisting in the middle. 

“I’m too small to pull the right way!” Kat exclaimed. 

“It’s not that hard to unfold a tarp!” Voon frowned. “I did it all the time at school! When we set up tents!” 

“You went to school?” Dolly asked. “Private academy, I’m assuming?” 

  
  


“I had private tutors.” Voon grumbled. “That’s school.” 

She stamped down an edge of the tarp as Laksa shoved in through the door, hauling someone over his back.

“Sorry I took so long to get back.” He trudged to the covered futon and slumped a bloodied Irken onto it. 

  
“Hey!” Voon shouted, making a quick dash for Kat. 

“You couldn’t have warned us to get her out of here!?” She grabbed the petrified Kat from around her middle. She pushed behind an equally mortified Dolly to bring her upstairs. 

  
  


“What happened to him!?” Dolly clutched the middle of his chest, falling against the stairs when they passed him.  
  
“Skutch ran into a feldruk.” Laksa threw a dark towel over the Irken and started pressing it along his shoulders.

  
“We’ll get back to business as soon as we drop Skutch off with the medics.” Laksa tilted Skutch’s head up so he could breathe more easily.  
“Unless his pak is doing it for him…” He wondered to himself.

“I didn’t know Irkens had blood…” Voon peeked around Dolly nervously.

“Of course they do, honey. I’ve learned that the hard way too.” He shuddered. 

  
  


Laksa was already starting take-off at the pilot’s seat. 

“But what about the show?” Voon asked. 

“They’ll recognize us. I don’t want to risk another fight.” Talay lifted the ship off. “Better to get out quietly before they seek us out.” 

“But I was supposed to learn!” Kat peeked out from the top of the stairs.  
  
“Yeah. But then there would be clowns.” Voon warned her.

Kat shuffled back. “I can see a different show…” she mumbled. 

  
  


“And clowns on feldruks!” Voon gasped. “And and…” She looked at Dolly. “Uhh clowns with bad costumes on feldruks?” 

“They looked fine to me.” Dolly shrugged. “At least from what I saw.” 

“Not that we’re going to see it anyway. There’s going to be another travelling carnival somewhere. Unless the Scradoxes talk…” Laksa wondered, now lifting the ship into space through a clearing in the trees. 

  
  


Voon crept over to Skutch, swallowing anxiously as he appeared to be breathlessly still. 

She poked his arm.

It jerked violently. Skutch made a rasping sound that sent Voon stumbling backwards with a high-pitched yelp. 

“He’s THAT much alive!?” She moved backwards up the stairs to the lofts. 

“For now.” Laksa watched his tracking monitor for the medic’s ship.  
  
“He won’t be our problem for much longer.” 

  
“The Tallest are going to make you their problem if another Invader dies with you around!” Voon sat on the stairs.  
  
“It’s not my job to babysit highly trained elite soldiers when things don’t go to plan.” Laksa turned in his seat. “If they fail, it’s on them.”

“And if they _ do _have a problem, I’ll scurry my way around them and convince them there wasn’t much he could do.” Dolly took the chair next to Laksa, stretching his long legs out to the side. “What was he supposed to do with Krunk? Stop gravity against a falling explosive?”

Voon curled her fingers together anxiously. “But--” She started.

“Go to the lofts, Voon.” Laksa instructed her. “Keep Kat from coming down until this mess is cleared out.” 

“I’m not her babysitter either.” Voon frowned, but disappeared up the stairs, anyway.”  
  
“Someone needs to be keeping watch on Skutch.” Laksa pointed at where Skutch was lying. 

  
  


“Well, you’re driving and the girls shouldn’t get involved.” Dolly balked, but stood up to sit at the armchair next to Skutch. 

“Just make sure he’s still breathing. Keep the blanket on him so he won’t get cold.” Laksa instructed him. “He’ll only die faster if he gets cold.” 

“Does that matter with Irkens?” Dolly wondered out loud. Turned away, he didn’t notice Laksa shudder anxiously. 

“I don’t know. But it works for everyone else.” Laksa could almost see the Irken medical ship coming to meet them in the far distance, zooming closer by the minute.. 

Dolly gingerly draped a nearby blanket over Skutch, hoping to not contact the covered wound. “Well, you would be the one to know.” 

Laksa tightened his jaw to a clench. “You have no idea how much I know.”

  
  


Within a few minutes, the emergency transport ship arrived. 

A trio of Irken medics hurried their way in, leading a floating pod with them.

“Oh wow, he’s been got bad!” The leading medic exclaimed upon seeing Skutch. “We’ll take him from here.”

The pod opened up and extended out a platform which scooped up the unconscious Irken. He was drawn into the pod and was closed into it. 

The other medics were collecting the tarps.  
“You’ll get these back when they’re clean.” The leading medic pointed before Laksa could get a word out.

“I suppose we’re not camping until then.” Laksa rolled his eyes.

“That would not be advised. You got a spare uniform?” The head medic pointed at Laksa’s clothes. 

He looked down slowly. He finally realized they were soaked in blood. “...Yeah.” He swallowed. 

“Good, we’ll take that one too.” The medic reached out, expecting Laksa to strip down immediately.  
  
“Hey woah, let me handle this.” Dolly stepped in front of him. “Don’t rush the man.”  
  
The medics departed hastily, the head medic at the end of the pod.

  
Laksa breathed out, dropping into his chaise lounge, sprawling with his legs off one side,

“Oh, well done, darling! You really have a dramatic flair.” Dolly clapped a little.

“You think this is a performance?” Laksa covered his eyes with his arm. 

“Well no, I’d do the same.” Dolly sat at the end of the lounge. He patted his hand on Laksa’s knee for a moment.

“Now let’s get you cleaned up before--” Dolly jumped as the Caravan’s computer blared.

“Incoming call from the Almighty Tallest on the Massive.” It repeated three times. 

“Or not.” Dolly gave Laksa space to leap up from the lounge. He nearly tripped over his own feet as he stumbled to the communications screen, answering the call.

The Almighty Tallest blinked onto the screen, both glowering. Tallest Purple was chewing on a handful of curly fries.

“My Tallest, it is an honor to--” He started to bow, but was stopped by Tallest Red suddenly stopping him with a long tut.

“Ah ah ah, stop right there, what’s with your uniform?” He pointed at Laksa’s uniform.

“I had to carry Invader Skutch to safety after he was...injured.” Laksa cleared his throat. “Unfortunately, that meant I wasn’t spared a mess, and I wasn’t able to make myself presentable before I was called.” Laksa looked behind him to Dolly, who was standing down the pathway with Voon and Kat.  
  
“Sounds like a you problem.” Tallest Purple crumpled a bag that had previously contained curly fries. He tossed it at a small Irken that was carrying a new bag filled with donuts.  
  


“So. You’ve been there the last two times Invaders were incapacitated. What’s up with that?” Tallest Red opened while Tallest Purple began to devour the new snack.

“It’s all coincidence, my Tallest. I was having my ship repaired from a pirate attack when Krunk arrived on Serrish. It was a surprise I didn’t anticipate, nor did I anticipate being called to his aid.” Laksa slowly explained.  
“Master Courtier Dol Oro informed me of his arrival, leaving me unprepared for anything, really.” 

“And what about Skutch?” Almighty Tallest Purple interrupted, stuffing a donut into his mouth. “How did you not know he was on Pibos?”

“No one Told me! We were on a recreational venture on Pibos, educating Dol Oro’s apprentice.” Laksa explained.  
“In fact, Skutch’s request for guardianship interrupted Dol Oro’s work with me.”  
  
“If it was so great for you that our Invader caused you a minor inconvenience, maybe he should do your performance for us!” Tallest Purple piped. 

  
Laksa choked back a laugh, clamping his hand over his mouth.  
He cleared his throat.  
“I’m not sure you’d enjoy the level of contact that particular act requires.” 

He could almost hear Dolly snickering behind him.

  
On second thought, he realized they probably weren’t even physically capable of--

Suddenly, a little Irken erupted into the control chamber.  
  
“My Tallest! Please pardon the interruption! A package has arrived from Utrominon!” He gasped for breath, hoisting a large, beaten box over his head.

“Oooh, Utrominon! Has Invader Gratch succeeded already?” Tallest Purple eagerly tapped his fingers together. “I knew he had it in him, the moment he showed up to replace Krunk!”

“You sent an Invader to Utrominon?” Laksa gasped. “They’ll destroy him!” 

“Nonsense, he knows what he’s doing!. Utroms should be easy enough, they’re just little brainy blobs! How hard could they be to Invade?” Tallest Red chortled, opening the box. His cavalier grin quickly melted to a revolted scowl.

Tallest Purple peeked into it. “Ew.” He gagged. 

“What is it?” Laksa asked.

“It’s Invader Gratch’s pak.” Red closed the package. “And a note.” He waved a sheet.

“‘Invade us again and I will do this to you personally.’” Purple read.  
“It’s signed by Emperor Krang.”

“Maybe...maybe Utrominon is off the list. They have that… Techy… dome...thing.” Tallest Red twirled his fingers forgetfully.

“The Technodrome!” Tallest Purple reminded him.

“Uh...yeah.” Tallest Red passed the box to the messenger.  
“Send this to the Mortuary so they can install it in the collective.” He instructed.

“But there’s a big hole in it!” Tallest Purple protested as the messenger scurried away. 

Laksa waited impatiently, tapping his foot as he waited for them to stop.

  
Tallest Red cleared his throat. “Anyway...obviously the Invaders can’t keep asking you for help, but.” He leered over Laksa. “You keep crossing paths with the Rebellion, and according to your report, the Vortian Prince is with them.” 

Laksa nodded. “He is.” 

“Good! Because this is the next step on your mission. You’re going to report on every move they make.” Tallest Red’s tone soured.

“Yeah! And that’ll make it easier for us to know what they’re doing. Then when we send soldiers to fight them--” Tallest Purple paused, chowing down three donuts. “--You can grab the prince.”

Laksa breathed out slowly, looking to the floor.  
“I don’t have a choice, do I?” He grumbled.

“Nope!” Tallest Purple shouted through a mouthful of pastries, spitting crumbs.

“Also, you’re going to keep sponsoring Dol Oro.” Red pointed at Dolly.  
“You give him more to do than yelling at the surgeons for modding the courtiers.”

  
  


Laksa looked over his shoulder. He could see Dolly crossing his arms indignantly. 

“Very well.” Laksa sighed. “I’ll need to install the expansions on my caravan, in that case. It’s not exactly built for Dol Oro and he’s had some...trouble.”

“I’ve hit my head on the kitchen ceiling. Too many times.” Dolly rubbed the top of his head. “And don’t get me started on the shower.”

“Fine, fine, whatever you need. The next time we talk to you, it better not be after another mess with an Invader.” Tallest Purple warned, before ending the call. 

Without a word, Laksa stormed off to the shower.  
“I’ll let you deal with my clothes.” He huffed.

“Oh, I’ve got a trick up my sleeve that’ll work.” Dolly grinned, leaning outside the bathroom door while he waited for Laksa to toss out his uniform. His compression wrap came out with it. 

“This...might be a bit harder.” Dolly rubbed his fingers on the elastic material. 

“As long as it continues to work.” Laksa’s voice was muted by the sound of running water. 

“Might as well make you a cover or two for this drab thing.” Dolly mumbled.  
“While I have the chance to measure it.” 

  
  
  


With the uniform soaking in the washing sink, Dolly left Laksa’s night clothes outside the door.

He waited for his return at the foot of the bed in the lofts.  
  
He could barely hear Voon’s music playing on her side, while she and Kat sang along with it. 

Laksa emerged sluggishly and crawled into the bed. At first he didn’t acknowledge Dolly, but one he was fully settled, he turned around and curled his arms over his waist. 

“Let’s just get back where we left off before we find a place to take the Caravan in. Again.” He grumbled. 

“Well, if that’s what you want.” Dolly cupped his chin in his fingers. “Let’s do what I can’t with the Tallest.” He grinned cheekily. 

“Oh, don’t ruin it.” Laksa rolled his eyes.

Without another word, he kissed him firmly, and surrendered the last few hours to the ether, for at least a few minutes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I sneak in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reference? Yes. Yes I did.


	32. Conflicts at Dawn

The Scradox Family Circus was gone by the time the whole of the Resisto had awoken, and Roongis came stumbling back into the ship with the brighter female that had been accompanying him.

After a rousing minute of squeaks and whistles, he regaled Lard Nar (still in his night clothes with a coffee in hand) that the people of this region would spread word across the planet on the incident that had just occurred.

His new wife’s clan would be ready to join a fight if they were called upon, and would lead others with them. 

“What did I say about letting Roongis have a last-second wedding? What if something happens to him?” Lard Nar hissed to Spleenk when Roongis scuttled off to join some of the others. 

“But he was so happy, sir!” Spleenk moaned. 

“Nothing we can do now.” Lard Nar sighed. “Talay and Udon are the last to check in.” Lard Nar tapped on the roster he carried. 

“They’re probably being smart and sleeping in.” Schloonktapooxis piped up. “You know, being a dad and being a really, really, really, really, really, really…” he carried on, following Lard Nar as he made his way into the cabin halls.    
  
He knocked on Talay’s door, Schlonktapooxis still behind him.

“...really, really, REALLY old lady.” He smiled broadly, his tongue out of his mouth when Udon opened the door. 

“Captain, good to see you.” She bobbed Donyx to her shoulder. He squeaked and squirmed uncomfortably. 

“If you’re here to see Talay, he’s in a conference with Doctor Mung.” Udon pointed toward his door. 

“I was wondering if he was still in contact with her.” Lard Nar stepped in. 

“I’m surprised you think he wouldn’t be. After all, his list of medical needs is still quite long. And Goji is still barely able to cross a room.” Udon turned Donyx toward him. “And this one…”    
  
She grimaced. “This one’s still an enigma. I’ve gotten him to eat more, but he’s barely put on weight.” She propped him up a little. 

“He’s always going to be an enigma.” Lard Nar sighed. 

Schloonktapooxis zipped around him, then hovered over Udon’s shoulder.    
“Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve seen the little guy! He’s been hiding away, hasn’t he?” 

“Part of it is a need to give him some space. The rest, I suppose, is holdover from my old job.” Udon put Donyx back against her shoulder, when it became clear he wasn’t comfortable facing outward.

Lard Nar leaned in towards Talay’s door. He could barely hear his conversation. 

“At least they aren’t picky eaters. I think they’re a little heavier now than when I got them back.” He heard Talay faintly. He couldn’t hear Doctor Mung, but he recognized her voice.

“I want to get Holly checked on. She wasn’t hurt when the feldruk charged, but I still want to be sure she wasn’t hurt.” 

Lard Nar groaned. That would mean a trip back to the Satellite of Huug. 

“She only got away unscathed because of Laksa.” The silence between the conversation was longer now. 

“He pulled her out of the way. And that’s not the first time he’s protected my family!” 

Lard Nar could hear snippets of what happened on Serrish, but nothing of what Mung had to say. 

“You really shouldn’t linger, Captain.” Udon spoke up. 

“Yeah, well, now he’s talking about your weird nephew.” Lard Nar stepped away from the door. “About how he’s protected his family twice even though he’s - no offence to you - Irken serving scum.” 

Udon sighed. “I would not know what’s going on in his mind. Especially with the...incident on Serrish in mind.”

“Well you should figure it out, because I doubt we’ve seen the last of him and I can’t have him flopping around on his motivations.” He crossed his arms sourly. “Especially if he’s…” He gagged. “In so deep with my brother of all people.” 

“It’s a bit of a surprise for me that he’s in a relationship at all. After is last relationship ended so badly, I didn’t think it would happen again.” Udon explained while preparing Donyx’s formula the whole time, and was now sitting on the couch to give it to him.

“Yeah, I’d say death would put a pretty good damper on a relationship.” Lard Nar dropped into the armchair across from the couch. 

“I’m not talking about Ratha.” Udon shook her head.   
  
Schloonktapooxis drifted around, then managed to drop sideways onto the couch. “I can’t sit!” He wailed abruptly, interrupting Lard Nar before he could ask further questions. 

Seconds after, Talay left his room, with Acai tottering behind him. He left the door open, a lamp illuminated as the only light source. 

“Heya, Nar.” He mumbled. “The other two are sleeping. So’s the prince. He decided to hang out with us all night.” He took the last armchair and brought Acai up with him. 

“Heard you were having a chat with Doctor Mung.” Lard Nar cleared his throat. “Anything I should know about?” 

Talay sighed. “Well, I am going to have to visit her in the next few days if you can get me to the Satellite. The kids need a checkup and I probably need to get my horn looked at again. Sorry if that gets in the way of your plans, but you know…” He shrugged. “A nightmare scape of traumatic injuries, scrapes, and frailty is kind of important to get out of.” 

Lard Nar nodded. “Of course. I need to look at where our next Invader is, anyway.”    
  


Talay stopped paying attention to him, focused on Acai while she nursed. 

“Oh, and...Udon wants to see Donyx too.” Talay snapped his fingers. “She’s been compiling ideas for figuring out his...everything.” He stared at Donyx, who was still managing to lap from the small bowl. 

“Including how to get him to take bottles again, at the very least.” He looked away. “I’m still not up to--” He started. 

“You don’t have to explain.” Udon assured him gently. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask. Why did you name him Donyx? It’s not a Vortian name, it’s Irken.” She asked. 

Talay looked down somberly. “Well.” 

Lard Nar anxiously turned his head to listen. “Head Scientist Donyx?” He guessed.

“Our mentor and supervisor at Research Station Nine was raised by a family that was close to an Irken engineer named Donyx.” Talay nodded.    
“He was born a bit after a horrible incident with a supercollider and a bar of soap that killed the Irken, so he was given the name.”   
  


Udon took a pause, taking a moment to collect her words.   
“I understand the supercollider, but  _ soap _ ?” 

“He never specified when he told us!” Lard Nar exclaimed. “I’m still trying to figure it out!” 

Talay cleared his throat. “I grew up with a single mother and even though he was the most sourpuss man I’ve ever met…” He smiled wistfully.    
“He was like a father to me. And I don’t know what happened to him after he was arrested. The last time I saw him was when I was done with work for the day.”

He stared at Donyx.   
“And here I figured, maybe if I gave the kid the name of someone I liked, it would be easier to give him a chance.” 

“Sucks about your boss!” Schloonktapooxis piped. “Hey, if we get good enough, maybe we’ll be able to liberate Vort! We’ve already saved two whole planets! Maybe we’ll get our own armada!” 

“I don’t think we’re ready for an armada.” Talay leaned back into his chair for thought (and to balance Acai on his leg better).    
“For now, it’s just a ragtag of allies that have nothing to do.” 

“Well,  _ we  _ have things to do. Planets to investigate, Invaders to crush, doctors to see. We’ll have to find an on-board medic so we don’t have to keep making stops.” Lard Nar stood up. “Talay, when are you planning on eating?” He asked. 

“Right after the girls are all up.” Talay patted Acai’s back. She reached up and grabbed the collar of his shirt. 

“No.” She mumbled. 

“Though that might not be for another hour, usually we all just take a nap after squish.” Talay mumbled.

“Well, we’ll be moving by then.” Lard Nar stood up and went for the door. “Everyone’s in the ship now and I guess we’ll have to find some way to celebrate Roongis’ very unexpected nuptials.”

“Woo! Nup-nimbsy--wedding party!” Shloonktapooxis shot up from the bed and zoomed behind Lard Nar.

“Wait, someone got married?” Talay’s question went without an answer, as Lard Nar had already left with Schloonktapooxis.

“Uh, okay.” He slumped just slightly, careful to mind Acai, who was now trying to cuddle under his neck. 

He wrapped his arms around her. “You gonna go back to sleep, then?” He asked. 

She yawned widely. 

“Well, that’s a big yes in my book.” Talay slowly stood up. 

“I’ll send Tomkha out to you if he wakes up anytime soon. I think he’s still tuckered out from the circus. And insisting all night that I did the voices in the Prince Niam story wrong.” 

“He is very particular.” Udon chuckled. “He still remembers how his parents used to do it.” 

“Poor kid…” Talay hugged Acai closer to his shoulder. “He must have just been barely older than mine are now.” 

He felt a chill down his back at what that must have been like for him.

“Don’t worry about it too much; you have your own children to look after.” Udon waved him away with one free hand. 

  
  


When Lard Nar arrived in the kitchen, he found Lork sitting on the table, distant from a few scowling rebels and former prisoners. 

“And that’s when I realized Blar had blown up my SIR unit.” He was in the middle of spinning a life story. “There were pieces everywhere.” He pointed to the red brooch on his coat. “I found the eye and kept it.”

“Is it sentimental?” G’raggo asked impatiently.

“No. I thought it would look cool.” Lork grinned.

“Who let you out?” Lard Nar asked. 

“The door wasn’t locked.” Lork dipped some toast he was eating into melted butter. “So I let myself out.”

“You are...the worst prisoner.” Lard Nar crossed his arms.

The former prisoners of Moo-Ping 10 chuckled uncomfortably between one another. 

“Ah, no, if he wanted to leave, he’d be long gone by now.” G’raggo frowned at Lork. 

“Yeah, you’re my ride out of here. But it’s boring in that room, so here I am.” Lork casually swung his legs. “Plus, I haven’t heard from Blar in a while. He probably still thinks I’m on Serrish, so that’s better for all of us.” 

“Not if we run into Laksa again.” Lard Nar grumbled. “They’re working together.” 

“The good news for you is that they don’t get along.” Lork finally jumped down from the table. “And if they get toward in-fighting, it’ll give you time to finish whatever Invader you’re killing next.” 

“That’s a brutish way to put it.” Lard Nar pushed in the chair that Lork used to climb up on the table with to begin with. 

“You evaporated Krunk and got Skutch to run right into an animal with a beak beak, you don’t have room to talk about brutality. Also, you’re complicit in everything that the Massive has blown up.” Lork dropped his saucer in the sink.

“Hey, don’t pin that on us!” Lard Nar hissed. “It’s not our fault the new Tallest aren’t using it the way Miyuki intended it!” 

“It still happened and you Vortians gave them that power. And look how they thanked you and your friends.” Lork started to head for the door, ignoring a few of the prisoners that started to make a run for him.

“I have half a mind to leave you on the Satellite of Huug when we get back.” Lard Nar blocked him. 

“Works for me.” Lork snapped his fingers and moved around Lard Nar to return to his room.

“Why did you even keep him here again!?” G’raggo demanded.

“We needed him to get around those pirates! And now we know how when we leave the Satellite again.” Lard Nar plopped into a seat. 

“And...why are we going back? We were just there!”    
  
“Doctor Mung wants to check up on Talay and his family. And she’s got some ideas for getting Donyx pulled together.” Lard Nar pulled his goggles off to rub his eyes. 

“If she needs to see him that much, they should probably stay. Not to mention that they shouldn’t be dragged all over the universe like this. I was Talay’s cellmate sometimes, Moo-Ping 10 messed him up; he should be settled somewhere nice and you’re hauling him down Invader bases.” G’raggo crossed his arms.

“I needed him then. And they all need to be here.” Lard Nar grumbled as he clipped his goggles back on. 

“We’re all willing to help the cause.” G’raggo gestured around. “You could have asked us to help you with the lab on Pibos. Talay’s been in prison a lot longer than you were; he needs to live his own life.” 

“Well he’s not staying on the Satellite. It’s no place for young Vortians to be.” Lard Nar got back up and grabbed a bag of snacks that had been obtained at the carnival. “I’m going to the cockpit. We’re taking off in half an hour.”

He left the kitchen in a huff and entered the cockpit, dropping into his seat. Some of his original crew were already waiting for him.

“Is everything alright, sir?” Spleenk asked. 

“Some disagreements in the kitchen. Also, I need a guard on the Irken.”

Right away, Ido-Iko-Ibo lumbered out the door.    
  
“Thank you!” Lard Nar called out to him. “The rest of us start liftoff.” 

“But are you sure you’re--” Ixane started.

“I’m fine!” Lard Nar’s voice squeaked as he raised it. 

  
  


“Very well, sir.” Ixane awkwardly sat down at a computer and started to join in inputting the directions he proceeded delivering. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could have sworn there was supposed to be tension within the crew from the beginning? And also that Talay and G'raggo had a friendship enough that G'raggo would be a little protective.


	33. Return to the Satellite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Hüüg" is going to look weird sometimes, but for some reason Ao3 is just formatting it that way?

The first thing Talay noticed when he stepped out onto the Satellite was the smell.   
  
A combination of fumes and sulfur and cooking oil. A trace scent of machinery that sent him reeling with nostalgia for work at Station Six.

Just in the distance past the thick barrier that protected the satellite from the vacuum of space, was the whitish blue moon Huug. Just behind that, eclipsing Huug in size, was a vibrant red gas giant. 

The crowd on the satellite was bustling with life, with vendors and their customers in species he mostly recognized, but many were unfamiliar.   
  
One with a row of eyes down either side of the trunk on its face surprised him in particular.

“Wow. _ Wow _, it’s busy here.” Talay looked around at the business outside the docking station at the Satellite of Huug. As usual he carried Goji on his hip, holding Holly’s hand.

Lard Nar, as he had on his first venture to the Satellite, carried Donyx in a wrap around his chest, while carrying Acai on his back.

“I’m glad I didn’t set foot out here the first time.” Talay tilted his head at an insect-like creature standing on a ladder that was stacked on top of three more as he worked on riveting a structure. 

“That guy would have made me panic!” He clicked his tongue as the middle ladder gave way, dragging down the top ladder and knocking the bottom out. The builder just barely managed to cling to the iron bar he was riveting and started shrieking for his compatriots working above him.

“Now I just think he kinda deserved that. A little.”  
  
“Not even a rookie mistake.” Lard Nar Nar agreed. 

While the builder was being hauled up, they noticed that he had been riveting a long black banner to the rod. It unfurled, revealing distinct, blocky lettering:   
  
PREPARE FOR THE EYE OF HÜÜG!!

“Well that’s unsettling! Moving on!” Talay hurried past it. 

But there was no moving past it. 

Nearly every stall was preparing for the “Eye of Hüüg”, or already had it prepared. 

A harsh, gravelly voice managed to ring out above the noise of the bustle.

“Come round, children! Do not be afraid of my horrible skin! Hear the story of why we watch THE EYE OF HÜÜG!” Exclaimed a knobby-looking alien to a small group of grubs. 

They scuttled away from him, shrieking in terror, while other patrons stopped.

“Morbid curiosity it is, I guess.” Lard Nar shrugged. 

“You see, fair visitors, every three years, the Satellite faces the gas giant Hüüg just as it turned its nightmarish hurricane toward us! In ancient days, the people of our moon Huug believed it to be the eye of their god, Hüüg, come to gaze upon them! What did he want? Why does he look away for so long? Who knows!” The knobby alien lectured. 

“Residents these days mostly take the time to enjoy the sight while others fall in terrified worship! Up here...have some Eye Buns!” The alien suddenly pulled open the crate he was standing on top of, revealing pink cakes with a fruity red jam within. 

“Thanks for the lesson, old man! I’ll take three.” A tencuul patron approached, presenting a handful of monies.

“I’m twenty-seven!” the lecturer-vendor squawked, to the surprise of the patron. 

“Well, that was enlightening and horrifying! Let’s keep being surrounded by that imagery!” Talay turned his attention away back to the path they were on.

The story was everywhere, told in different tones, with different food and merchandising. Once they were near Mung’s clinic, they spotted a version told with puppets.

“Oh no! It’s the Eye of Hüüg!” Squeaked one fuzzy-looking puppet.  
  
“It’s come to bear judgement on our wrong doings!” Another wailed.   
  
A globe slowly rotated its bright red spot toward the puppets, one of the three puppets was suddenly set on fire. 

“Blooghorgh, why have you sinned?!” The first of the puppets cried out while ‘Blooghorgh’ rattled around the stage wailing and suddenly disappeared b ehind the curtain. 

Talay noticed the puppeteer come around the other side of the stage, stamping out the burning puppet while clutching his hand. 

“That was disturbing.” Talay turned Goji and Holly away from the sight.   
“Come on, you don’t need any of that nonsense getting to your little heads.”

“Boom.” Goji made the motion of an explosion. “Zim.”

Talay’s paused for a moment. “What about Zim?”

“That.” she pointed at the puppeteer that was staggering a distance behind them.

“Yeah, not surprised he caught fire in front of you. He deserves it, honestly.” Talay sighed. He could see Donyx’s hand pulling on the fabric of Lard Nar’s clothes. Lard Nar was too preoccupied keeping Acai on his back that he could only tolerate it begrudgingly. 

When they reached the clinic, Mung and the curly-horned Vortian that Lard Nar recognized as her assistant, were already waiting for them.

“Good to see you out and about, Talay.” Mung greeted him. She looked at him up and down. “You’re looking well.” She smiled.

“Am I? Haven’t been looking at any mirrors lately. Didn’t even look at the Hall of Mirrors at the Scardox Carnival.” Talay didn’t feel entirely flattered as he was lead back to another room down the narrow hall.   
  
“This is the first place I saw Laksa.” Lard Nar whispered to him. “And I still don’t know why he was here in the first place!”

The examination went by quicker than before. One by one, the children were weighed, measured, and tested in their physical stamina.   
  
And, one by one, Udon lauded their improvement. 

  
“Goji will still need some work on her strength, but they’ve all put on more than what I was hoping for.” She patted Talay on the shoulder. “I don’t know what kind of powerhouse you are in the condition you’re in, but you are one.”   
  
“One that has access to decent solid food.” Talay crossed his arms. “At least for now. We probably need to do some restocking.” He hinted at Lard Nar, who was passing Donyx to Mung for her to examine. 

“Oh...he is different.” Smilax gasped. 

“Have you been managing him at all?” Mung asked Talay. 

He lowered his head a little. “Not as much as I could. It’s still difficult.” He rubbed his horn. “Udon’s the only one who’s been able to look after him, and that’s even with the Prince under her belt.” 

“Well, he hasn’t gained as much as I would have liked.” Udon took the squirming Donyx off the scale she had set him in. 

“He’s hard to feed! He’s picky, he stopped taking a bottle and prefers a bowl instead for some reason?” Talay clapped a hand to his head. “He sleeps so much more than any newborn I’ve ever seen.” 

“Well, while we’re here, we’re able to do some scans. See what’s inside him.” Mung gave Donyx’s belly a slight tap. 

“It might give us a better idea of how to make him more comfortable.” She gave him to Smilax, who listened to her instructions on what scans were needed. 

“In the meantime, we’ll discuss what to do for Goji’s muscular stagnation. Might I suggest leg braces?” Mung procured a measuring tape from her pocket.

“Now why didn’t I think of that. I’m an engineer.” Talay grumbled to himself indignantly. 

“Because you’re a mechanical engineer.” Lard Nar gave him a soft punch in the arm, smirking. 

“We’ll just get her measured and see what will work for her.” Mung started to unroll the tape as she approached Goji. 

  
  


It took ten minutes to measure Goji. 

She squirmed and struggled to stop Mung from measuring her; at one point she kicked Mung in the face. 

By the time Smilax returned with a squealing Donyx, Mung was only halfway done, as Talay held Goji on his lap to keep her calm. 

“Uh, everything okay in here?” Smilax awkwardly observed them. 

“Just getting her measured for leg braces.” Mung sighed. 

“Bet this is why you’re not in family medicine.” Talay rubbed Goji’s back as she whined in protest.

“I suppose I am now.” Mung sighed, jotting down her last round of measurements. 

“Anyway, I’ve got the scans back on the…” Smilax made a face in his uncertainty of what to call Donyx.

“We call him a Smeetlet.” Lard Nar shrugged.

“Alright. The Smeetlet.” Smilax passed Donyx back to him. 

“Anyway, the scans are inconclusive.” He opened a screen to show the results. 

“While he does have more organs than an Irken, a few of his digestive organs are somewhat melted together.” He pointed to some highlighted details. “Which might explain why he can’t settle on what kind of food he needs. Or even how he gets it.” 

Talay and Lard Nar listened quietly as Smilax continued on. “He was at least stable enough to take a blood test, unlike last time. It seems like everything but his skin and digestive system are more Vortain than Irken.” Smilax concluded. 

“So, what does that mean for us?” Talay asked, feeling a gentle wave of relief wash over him. 

“It means you probably just have to keep figuring out his changes.” Smilax sighed. “If he’s gaining weight like he has been this whole time, then you should be doing something right.” He looked at Mung.

“It’s mostly been Udon figuring it out. Since my contact with Donyx has been...limited.” Talay took a look at Donyx. He touched a finger to Donyx’s hand. 

“In the meantime, I’ll have some boys in the construction of the Satellite make some braces based on my measurements.” Mung tapped the tablet she carried. 

“With any luck, you’ll have time to enjoy The Eye. I’ve only seen the previous one, but it’s quite a spectacle.” Smilax grinned. “We’d only just arrived on the Satellite three years ago. It was...a time.” The smile vanished quickly.

“We might as well catch it if we’re going to be here.” Lard Nar shrugged.   
“It’s everywhere. And we need to do some restocking.”

“And I’d like to look around now that I’m in better shape.” Talay leaned back. “Though, it’s only been...what, a month now?” 

“Just about.” Mung looked at the file she had on the family. “And you’ve all made incredible progress considering everything you’ve been through.”

“Good!” Talay nodded. “So...uh...anything else?” He asked. 

“Not for now. I’ll call you back when the braces are ready.” Mung took a deep breath.

“Now, we don’t have a secretary, so I have to print all this information myself. We are very alone here. And very swamped.” Her eye twitched with exhaustion. 

“Oh--okay, uh, good luck with that.” Lard Nar finished wrapping Donyx back on his chest, and lifted Acai onto his back. 

“You enjoy the Eye Festival being put together. We’ll be ready for you in a little bit.” Mung started to lead them out to the waiting area.

As they departed, Lard Nar looked down the tower at the stalls below them.

“Guess it’s more fried food for us.” He shrugged.

“You know I need the calories.” Talay smirked.

“Not like this!” Lard Nar exclaimed.

“And the kids need to try more things! Like...like that thing!” Talay pointed to a stall where a large chunk of meat was being spun on a vertical rotisserie over a blue flame. Slivers were carved and wrapped into a drop-shaped purple leaf with a sprinkle of a white cheese.

“What is that thing…” He wondered pensively, approaching the stand.

“The heart of a Trejegmbe, from the Horror Swamp Pastures of Planet Horgas!” Squawked the vendor, his tone rising exponentially. “Wrapped in the delicate Winter Leaf and topped with cheese made from the spinneret of the Roggle Spider, also from the Horror Swamp Pastures of Planet Horgas!” The vendor’s voice came to a final dramatic squawk as he sliced off a piece of the heart meat. He wheezed and heaved from the exhaustion of explaining the food’s origin.

“Cool.” Talay lifted his thumb approvingly. “We’ll take three.” 

“Would you like Winter Fruit juice with that? It’s a jelly drink.” The vendor’s hand shook as he held up a blindingly bright pink pouch, displaying a star-shaped fruit with pomegranate-like cells in its interior. 

  
  


“Fine. But we should go back to the ship after this.” Lard Nar pointed to the docking tower. 

  
  


“We need to reconvene, get a list of things we need from the tower.”   
  
“And give the kids a nap.” Talay realized. 

“Yeah, that too.” Lard Nar patted Donyx on the back; he was squeaking the whole walk down. “Udon might have to work her magic on Donyx.” 

Talay touched a finger to Donyx’s hand. “Yeah…” He sighed.

  
  


After collecting their wraps and drinks, they departed, agreeing to eat in the ship when they arrived. 

Talay listened to the children babble questions about everything surrounding them, answering as they could - even as some answers lead to more questions. 

“What’s that?” Acai asked.  
“It’s a scaffold.” Talay answered.“What’s it do?” She asked again.  
“It helps people build things.” Talay simplified as much as he could for what she could process.   
“What’s that do?” She asked one more time.

Not far behind them, a tencuul finished off a portion of the mooncake they had purchased earlier. 

They followed along their path, staggering behind other passersby. 

“Is that the guy?” They held up a spyglass to look ahead. 

“That’s him.” A voice in a radio set under their hood responded once Lard Nar looked to the side. 

“And his friend.” The tencuul observed Talay.

“What’s your plan?” The voice asked. 

“You’ll see.” The tencuul let the Vortians get further ahead. “You’ll see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well who's this mysterious new figure? What's up with the vendors that clearly have issues to sort out? One of these things will be answered as a new arc starts up!


	34. The Bounty Hunter

As was the usual trend, once Talay entered his suite, he did not leave for hours afterwards.  
  
The furthest he strayed from the children was into the sitting area, just a door away from the bedroom.

  
  


It was far from the opposite trend before imprisonment; years ago, Talay wouldn’t retreat to his bed until he had completely exhausted his energy. 

  
Lard Nar absconded to his own room, searching through for items that belonged to the cruise ship captain long ago.   
  
Starting with a great deal of branded badges from the cruise line. He found the box of clothes from where he had stuffed it to make room for what few of his own.  
  
A deck of cards…

  
  


Lard Nar rubbed the box with his thumb as he held it.

  
  


_Card games were a way to pass the time in Vort Research Vort Research Station Nine while there was little to do on a project. Often a project would come to completion, and all that remained was waiting for power to charge._

_Chief Scientist Donyx used that time to teach new games to his associates. More often than not, Lard Nar and Talay were his final competitors._

  
  


“_You boys are really giving me a challenge.” Chief Scientist Donyx once shuffled through a hand, frustrated but amused. “It might be you against each other.”_

  
  


_After a moment, he smirked. “I fold.” He laid down his cards. _

  
  


Lard Nar shrugged. He tossed the cards onto his bed, imagining Talay would enjoy a game when he woke up. 

  
  


He picked up the small box he put together and hauled them under his arm.  
He turned, ready to head out again.

  
  


And noticed that the Satellite's glass dome was turning dark purple from bright blue. It was being prepared for the dark cycle. He grumbled and set the box back down; now he had to make sure everyone was in the ship. 

  
  


There was a little thunking sound behind him. Lard Nar turned slightly, finding a little silver ball roll lazily across the floor. It was streaming a trail of a whitish cloud that slowly filled the room.

  
  


Lard Nar bolted for the door with a shriek, but before he could reach it, something snatched him off the ground. 

  
  


He was whipped up under someone’s arm, just as the cloud filled the room halfway up. 

  
  


“Ruffian! Let go!” Lard Nar struggled to kick out of their grip. “I’ll have this whole ship up and--” Something pricked his arm. A tentacle drew away from him as his vision started to blur and fade.   
  
The intruder kicked the ball toward the door and opened it, allowing it to fill the hallway as it had filled the room. 

  
  


G’raggo and a few of his companions were leaving the kitchen when they noticed the cloud billowing down from the hall.   
  
“What is that?” G’raggo wondered out loud. The group barely had a chance to see the outline of the intruder’s face before the cloud obscured them, allowing them to travel with little more than a soft thud of footsteps. 

  
  


All motion stopped when Lork stepped out of his room, carrying an opened can of chili, eating it cold and uncooked straight out of the can with a plastic fork.

“Oh hi, M’Sulou. Still not wearing shoes?” Lork ate a forkful of chili and pointed his spoon at the Tencuul’s feet. 

  
  


The tencuul frowned, and then continued their escape.

  
  


“Damn it, _you’re _here.” The tencuul grumbled under their breath.

  
  


“Wait!” Lork shouted, sprinting backwards into his room again, and then back the other way without the can. By the time he returned, the tencuul was gone. The fog tailing them was already fading away, just as one of the former Moo-Ping 10 prisoners was peeking out, roused from sleep by the noise.

  
  


Spleenk, Shloonktapooxis, Ixane, and a few others were closing down the cabin - the door was not yet locked.

  
  


“Who’s that?” Ixane pointed as the tencuul rushed for the door.   
  
They paused just long enough to open the door - and the assembled Resisty caught a good look at the intruder’s face before they cast out another sphere - this one released its cloud far faster than the original.

  
  


“Hey, who’s that?!” Spleenk shouted.  
“They’ve got the captain!” Ixane started to bolt for the intruder.   
  
They threw down one more cloud orb, this one setting off immediately. Ixane plowed through as much as she could, but when she reached the door, the intruder had already gotten through it. She swung the door open, with several of her compatriots behind her.   
  
They split in different directions on the docking station, shouting for Lard Nar.   
  
“Have you seen a purple guy carrying a Vortian!?” Spleenk grabbed a Serrishoid off off the deck as he passed by.   
  
“What are you talking about man?” The Serrishoid asked uncomfortably.  
  
“Please, have you seen him?!” Schloonktapooxis wailed beside him.

  
  


“I don’t…” The Serrishoid wiggled anxiously.

  
  


“We have to find him!” Spleenk’s eyes started welling with tears.

  
  


“Oh jeez, guy! I can’t help!” The Serrishoid balked as Spleenk and Schloonktapooxis’ distress climbed. 

  
  


The news that the captain had been kidnapped spread through the ship like wildfire. 

  
  


Talay emerged from his room, raggedly exhausted, hearing the commotion.  
Momo Larloch, Gr’aggo, and Ido-Iko-Ibo were trying to organize calm so they could configure what happened.

  
  


He pushed past Lork, who was desperately trying to speak above the noise in the helm. 

“Hey, hey! I can help! I know--I said I know-” Lork was nearly trampled by a few of the taller crewmembers, interrupting him. 

“What are we going to do without the Captain!?” Schloonktapooxis sobbed. 

  
  


“We have no direction!” Howled one of the Arachos.

“What is going on here?!” Talay snapped above the chaos. 

  
  


“Someone kidnapped the captain.” Lork tapped his shoulder.   
He was still carrying the can of chili.

  
  


“What?” It took a moment for the news to set in. “What?!” 

  
  


“Yeah.” Lork nodded. “I got a good look at them and I’ve been trying to say something for a whi--” He stopped. Talay bolted away before he could finish. 

  
  


Talay found the Captain’s Quarters wide open. A box full of clothing and trinkets was knocked over on the floor. A deck of cards was scattered. The vent in the ceiling was popped open. Talay found an orb broken open like a locket. 

  
  


He plucked it off the ground, finding a note folded inside.

  
  


‘If you want him, send the other Vortian engineer the Low Decks before dawn.’ 

  
  


Talay squinted at it.   
  
The other Vortian engineer. 

  
  


Him. 

  
  


He returned to the control cabin, finding Gr’aggo barely managing to pull the commotion together. 

  
  


“Hey!” Talay called above the ruckus. “I found something!”

  
  


Silence came quickly as all attention turned to him.

  
  


“They...want me to go to the lower deck for him.” Talay started quietly.

  
  


“Well, obviously that’s a trap.” Gr’aggo crossed his arms.

  
  


“I know.” Talay nodded. “But why?” 

  
  


Lork raised a hand. 

“Uh, I sort of know.” He piped up.

  
  


“You do?” Ixane asked.

  
  


“Yeah.” Lork shrugged. “Depends on what’s happened in the last few years.”

  
  


“Okay. Cryptic, but okay. You did give us reason to trust you on Pibos.” Talay crossed his arms. “What do you know and why?” He asked.

  
  


“I know them. Their name is M’Sulou.” Was not the answer Talay was expecting.

  
  


“What?” Talay gawked.

“Oh yeah, I knew them. They’re Captain Frolt’s kid.”

  
  


“You mean the guy that attacked us a few weeks ago!?” Spleenk gasped.

  
  


“Are the pirates after us again!? Is this a lure to bring us to them!?” Talay felt his nerves rise; his ruse on Frolt would be long in the past now. He imagined Frolt would be more than displeased with being tricked.  
  
“Not if they decided they were done being a loner in the last two weeks. Right before Operation Impending Doom 1, they jumped out on their own. Decided that being a bounty hunter was better than being a pirate and went for it.” Lork scraped out some of the inside of the chili can with a finger and sucked it off. 

  
  


“So...a one-man privateer?” Ixane asked slowly.

  
  


Lork shrugged. “I guess. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them. But, when I joined the pirates, M’sulou was just a larva in a jar. I was there when they left the pirate crew.” Lork nodded.   
  
“I thought they were taking my SIR unit exploding a little too hard, but turns out it was more about family stuff.” 

  
  


“Maybe Laksa hired them?” Spleenk proposed. “We haven’t seen him in a while.”

  
  


“Yeah, not since the carnival!” Schloonktapooxis remembered. “When we realized he was scary good with swords!”

  
  


“If it were Laksa, I bet he would have gone for the prince.” Talay shook his head. “Besides, he said something weird to me when I had to stay the night in his caravan on Serrish.” He rubbed his chin, remembering. 

  
  


‘_I’m not a heartless monster who would separate children from their father.’  
_That was it. 

  
  


“He didn’t want to take me from my kids then, and he wouldn’t know. And then, Laksa has something going on with Lard Nar’s brother, so I don’t know how far he’d go to hurt him.” He remembered further.

  
  


“Laksa is what with who?” Schloonktapooxis gawked.

  
  


“Yeah, it’s weird!” Talay nodded.

  
  


“The captain has a brother?!” An Aracho cried out. 

  
  


“Anyway. It’s not Laksa.” Talay changed the subject before more questions could rise. “It’s gotta be someone we don’t know.”

  
  


“There’s only one way to find out.” Lork pointed his fork at him. 

  
  


“I…” Talay stalled. “I can’t leave my kids again…” His voice lowered with each word.   
“I haven’t left them since I got them back, I just can’t…”

  
  


“Hey, hey.” Gr’aggo stooped down to him. “We’ll stay close. With them.” He gripped his shoulder firmly. “You won’t go alone. It doesn’t say anything about that on the ransom.”

  
  


Talay squirmed a little. “I don’t know what they’ll want from me.” He swallowed. “But Lard Nar came for me, so…” 

  
  


He breathed out. “We have to do this. But how will we know we’ve found them?” 

  
  


“We all got a good look at their face, and Lork recognized them. So...they must have let us see them.” Ixane suggested.

  
  


Talay swallowed. “Okay.” He breathed out.

  
  


“You...go be with the kids. We’ll sort out a line of communication.” Ixane patted his arm.

  
  


“I’ll need that.” Talay grumbled. “We have until ‘dawn’, whatever that means here.”

  
  


With barely a nod, he returned to the children.

  
  


They were sound asleep in the middle of the bed as he had left them, oblivious to the chaos happening at the helm of the ship. 

  
  


He sat down heavily beside them, stroking Goji’s back.

She shifted a little, until she slowly woke up. But she kept her eyes closed.  
  
“Daddy.” She mumbled, reaching out blindly. 

  
  


“Hey, sweetie.” He scooped her up. Acai rolled over, smacking Holly in the face with her hand. Holly sat up with an indignant whine.   
  
“Daddy!” She scowled, pointing at Acai.

  
  


“Oh, come’ere.” Talay pulled her up with Goji. “We’re going on a little night adventure.” 

  
  


Acai groaned groggily, leaning into his shoulder. 

“Well...you can sleep on the way.” Talay sighed. 

  
Gr’aggo poked his big head through the door. “You need help carrying them out?” He asked. 

  
  


“Give me a minute.” Talay waved him away.  
  
“But we don’t have--” Gr’aggo started, but was quickly cut off.  
  
“A minute!” Talay snarled between his teeth. 

  
  


Gr’aggo nodded and stepped back. “Okay, okay.”

  
  


Holly, realizing her sisters had woken, shuffled over to lay her head on Talay’s lap. 

  
  


Talay breathed out heavily. He couldn’t help but feel like something terrible was about to happen. 

  
  


“If anything happens, I love you so much.” He breathed out with a shudder.   
He propped Acai onto his shoulder so he could pick up Holly and hold them all together. 

  
  


Goji was starting to doze off again as he held her.   
  
“Okay, Gr’aggo.” He softly called. “I…” He stopped.

  
  


“I need to get Donyx.” He whispered.

  
  


“I think that one’s the most risky.” Gr’aggo emerged quietly. 

  
  


Talay frowned. “If something happens, I...don’t want him to think I completely resented him.” 

  
  


“Do you?” Gr’aggo asked. “Because I haven’t seen you handle him since before we got to Pibos.” He knelt down to hold the children. They all fit neatly in one arm, and looked immensely secure in both. 

  
  


“I just...know we both need this.” Talay slid off the bed. He felt as though he had to force his own body to move.

  
  


“Just wait on the couch.” Talay pushed out of the room and across to the other side of the sitting area.

  
  


He knocked gently on Udon’s door, remembering that the prince was usually asleep at this time. 

  
  


“Talay?” He heard her. That sounded like permission to open the door.

  
  


Talay saw her sitting up in an armchair, as Donyx dozed in her lap. 

  
  


“Udon?” Talay stepped in. “I’m...hoping you heard everything that happened.” 

  
“Your friend Gr’aggo told me.” Udon nodded.

  
  


“I’m...taking the girls for luck.” Talay approached. “I think it would be best if I took Donyx too.” 

  
  


“Are you sure?” Udon asked. “You haven’t exactly learned all of his patterns.”   
  
“I’ll have to learn sooner or later.” Talay grumbled. “It’s like when you try to force two positive magnets to touch each other, you know?” he rubbed his head. “I want it to happen, but they just repel each other?” 

  
  


“As the engineer...I think you’d understand why it works the other way. Because I certainly don’t.” Udon held out Donyx to him.

  
  


As Talay picked up Donyx, he stretched his arms up and bent his back.  
“Oh, doing something normal?” Talay brought him to his shoulder. 

  
  


If he didn’t look at Donyx, he could recognize the way it felt as his tiny fingers gripped the fabric of his jumpsuit. 

  
  


“You’re sure you want him with you? What if something happens?” Udon asked.

  
  


“Then maybe I’ll be forced to protect him.” Talay shrugged.   
“Maybe something will finally click.” He snapped his fingers on the final word. “Maybe I just...need him there.” 

  
  


“Well…” Udon sighed. “I can’t go with you. I need to stay here with Tomkha.” She touched Tomkha’s head as he slept. 

  
  


“It’s no place for him, anyway. If there’s a bounty on me and Lard Nar, there’s probably one for him too.” Talay noticed Udon’s expression fall and turn serious. 

  
  


“I’ll explain when you return. The captain is more important.” Udon tucked Tomkha’s blanket over his shoulders.

  
  


“Well, that speaks volumes on how you’ve been spending your years after Vort’s conquest, I look forward to the thorough version.” Talay had sardonic tinge to his response.

  
  


“Don’t make this a mistake, Talay.” Udon warned as he started to depart.

“I’ll try not to.” Talay mumbled as rejoined Gr’aggo in the sitting area.

“You ready?” Gr’aggo asked.

“Whether I like it or not.” Talay lead him out the door.

  
  


The ‘Lower Docks’ for the Satellite of Huug meant heading toward the bottom of the tower. There was no way to get in completely as non-workers.   
The Lower Docks contained the control center of everything - even the artificial atmosphere and weather.

  
  


They could only creep around above, avoiding the gaze of the operators that lingered outside.

  
  


“Fix that cap.” Talay clicked his tongue at one of them, pointing to a rusting bit of machinery. “Yeah, I know what it does!” He snapped at one that gave him a questioning look. “Fix it unless you want hot steam in your face!”

“Daddy, wanna sleep.” Holly whined while she was carried by Gr’aggo.  
“You can soon, when we get Nar back.” Talay reached up to her as best he could.

At the edge, a tencuul leaned against a wall as they waited.  
They wore fitted leathery armor, with a belt full of small weapons and bombs.  
Their orange eyes shifted toward the assembled group, and nodded slowly at Talay.

“You’re early.” They straightened upright and took some steps forward.

Talay passed Goji to G’raggo, stroking her cheek for a moment, then doing the same to reassure Holly and Acai.  
“I’ll be right back.” A promise hung on his tongue, but...anything could happen.

With Donyx still in his arms, he approached the purple Tencuul.  
  
“Alright, what’s your game. And where’s Lard Nar?” Talay asked.

  
  


“I’ll explain on the way. We don’t have time.” M’Sulou unclipped a large orb from their belt and thrust it to the ground. It immediately exploded into a thick fog.

  
  


Talay felt their tentacle wrap around his arm and he was pulled hard through the fog. Suddenly, he was shoved into a small elevator within the wall, without time to register what was inside it. He barely had time to hear the triplets shriek with alarm as he was pulled away; they were drowned out by the others reacting to the sudden change of pace.

  
  


He realized he still had Donyx, now wide awake and wailing with shock, as a gate shut in front of him.

“Hey!” Talay shouted at M’Sulou. “What are you doing!?”  
  


Talay didn’t respond; Donyx’s cries had gotten loud enough that he couldn’t focus on anything else.   
“I’m bringing you to your friend.” M’Sulou pulled the controls to make the elevator slowly drop. “And if you both want to get out, you’ll have to cooperate completely.”

  
“I’ve got the second target.” M’Sulou spoke into a comlink while Talay struggled to console the baby.  
“You better be ready for your end of the deal.”


End file.
